The Rose Among The Thorns
by Littlelots
Summary: Eve McKinnon had just left University, and was enjoying the last week of the holidays with her best friend, when she was transported to Middle-Earth. Happening on the company of dwarves, she joins them to discover her fate. Kili/OC Reviews are very welcome!
1. Chapter 1 Lost

**A/N Hey! This is my first Hobbit Fanfic, so hopefully you'll enjoy it! I am sorry if there are a few spelling or grammar mistakes, if you find some, please let me know! I do not own the hobbit! ~Littlelots**

Chapter 1. Lost

"I'll race you!"

Eve McKinnon laughed and started running down the slope. Her blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight, and her curly copper hair bounced around her head as she bounded down the hillside. She had long legs, which had always been an advantage in running, and was lightly built. She ducked under a branch and leapt over a ditch. Dodging the rabbit holes was the biggest challenge. She was almost at the foot of the hillside, when she paused, looking up at the sun that was setting over the distant hills. She smiled to herself, and hearing her friend getting closer, started to run again. She skidded to a stop at the bottom and collapsed on the grass. It was the end of the summer holidays, and she had graduated, and had to think of something to do with her life. Her friend sat down beside her, gasping for breath. Katie Heath was her best; and only friend. She was a bit shorter than Eve, with silvery blond hair, and stormy grey eyes. Their personalities were just as different as their appearances, Katie being the bold, outgoing one, and Eve being the quiet and shy one. Katie had always been there for her, ever since they started school together, right up till now. But that was the problem. She wouldn't be there for much longer. Eve felt a lump appear in her throat. Katie looked over at her, noticing the brooding expression on her face.

"Evie… I'm really sorry about leaving. I wish my dad hadn't got that stupid job in New Zealand, but there's nothing I-"

"I know Kate, honest. It's just going to be strange here alone. And I won't see you much, once a year if I'm lucky, it's a long way from Britain!"

Katie gave a deep sigh. "I know. I'm going to hate it, and I just don't want you to be alone in that little flat, I know you don't have anyone else."

They sat there in silence, looking at the sun as it disappeared in the distance. Katie's stomach gave a loud rumble, and they both burst out laughing. Trying to hide the smirk on her face, Eve got to her feet and held out her hand to her friend. She pulled her up and they set off towards the road. They talked about what they had done at University, the various boyfriends Katie had had, and Katie kept hinting that Eve needed to get a boyfriend. She ignored this piece of information, since she had not found the right guy, at least, not yet. At the end of the track was the small, ford fiesta Katie's dad had got her just before she went to UNI. Eve put her hand in her pocket, feeling for her keys; but they weren't there. She patted her back pockets just in case, and then turned to look at her friend in shock. Katie was watching her, her head tilted to one side.

"Is there a problem?" she asked, a frown starting to appear on her brow.

"M-my keys! I-I-I can't find them!" Eve cried, as she brushed her fringe out her face and started to check the ground around them.

"Did you drop them?" Katie said, looking in some grass. Then she stood up with a gasp.

"The hill! What if they fell out on the hill?"

The two girls raced back the way they came, constantly checking the ground to see if they could find the car keys. As they reached the hill however, the realization of how bad a situation they were in came to them. They looked at the thousands of rabbit holes, and the rocks and ditches that covered the hillside and all hope left them.

"Shit." They said in unison, and Eve sank to her knees in despair.

"Now what?" she asked her friend.

"I'll call my dad, he has your spare set." replied Katie, pulling her phone out of her pocket, and walking a few paces away. Eve went back to looking for the keys, when she came across something very curious. A small box was lying in a ditch, just under a bit of grass. Eve pulled it out and, having always been too curious for her own good, lifted the lid and peeped inside. On a little plush cushion, lay a bracelet with a strange jewel in the centre. She lifted it out and, hoping to surprise Katie with this incredible find, slipped it on her wrist. The stone seemed to almost glow, and Eve touched it lightly with her finger. There was a flash of bright light, a painful crushing sensation, and then everything went dark.

* * *

Eve opened her eyes, and realized she was lying in some moss. She sat up, her head spinning slightly, and looked around. She was sitting in the middle of a glade, surrounded by trees. The sky was dark, and there was a cold wind blowing the leaves about, making rustling noises. She had no idea where she was, or where Katie was. She shook her head, trying to remember. She had put on the bracelet, and touched the stone in the middle, that was the last thing she could recall. She stood up, looking around nervously. Then she realized she wasn't wearing her jeans and tank top anymore. She was wearing a strange pair of trousers, and a shirt with a jacket on top. She also had a cloak around her for some reason, with a hood over her head, but the biggest shock, was the short sword hanging from her belt. Where the hell am I? She wondered to herself. She saw a light up in the distance, and, seeing as she had nowhere else to go, decided she would go and check it out. She quietly made her way through the forest, trying to be stealthy, and keeping a hand on the hilt of her sword. Maybe those hours spent playing around with sticks and pretending to fight Katie would pay off. She felt a pang of sorrow as she thought of her friend. What must she be thinking? How long had she been looking for her? Eve wiped the tears away that were creeping down her face, as she approached the source of light.

* * *

"Quit your yappin'!" said a gruff voice, and Eve peeped round a tree to see three giant creatures sitting round a fire. Trolls, she thought to herself, and then wondered why she had come to that conclusion. One was stirring some foul smelling concoction, and the other two were slowly turning a spit. She looked closely at the spit, and realized there were **people** tied to it! They were men, all of whom had beards. She looked around the clearing and noticed a pile of sacks, each containing another person. Again she had the feeling of knowing who these people were. Somehow, she knew these people were dwarves, and she was absolutely sure of the fact. One of the people in the sacks stood up, and Eve thought this person couldn't be a dwarf, he was much too small!

"Wait! Wait!" he cried, wobbling as he tried to get his balance. "You are making a terrible mistake!" he said breathlessly.

"You can't reason with them laddie- they're halfwits!" one of the dwarves shouted from the spit.

"Halfwits!?" cried another, while being turned over the flames. "What does that make us?"

"You are going to need something a lot stronger than sage to cook up this lot!" the little man said. "I mean have you smelt them?"

"You're a traitor Baggins!" yelled a ginger haired dwarf.

"Oi, let the bur-hobbit speak" the biggest troll snapped at the dwarf, before kneeling down to 'Baggins'.

"Now, what about the seasoning?" he questioned the frightened 'Baggins' with interest.

"Well, you um….. Skin them first!" The dwarves gasped and then erupted with anger shouting curses at 'Baggins'.

The troll with the lazy eye picked up the fattest dwarf and held him over his mouth. "Rubbish, their better this way, nice and crunchy."

"No-no, not that one he is eh, infected with worms!" 'Baggins' said quickly. The troll gasped in disgust and threw the dwarf back onto the pile.

Eve stood watching, not knowing what to do. There was no way she could get to the dwarves without being seen, and if she did get seen, she was toast. Then she had an idea. She raced to some trees behind the trolls and hid behind one.

"There ain't no use eating them if they've got worms." She yelled, and instantly ran through the trees in the opposite direction. The trolls all turned to where her voice had come from, and one of them got up and walked towards the tree which she had hidden behind. With the trolls backs turned, she dashed towards the dwarves, pulling out her sword as she did so, and cut two of the sacks before the trolls had noticed.

"Oi!" yelled the sneezy one, "That's our dinner!" The dwarves jumped up, grabbing some weapons from a large pile and freed their friends. They eyed her suspiciously, but started to attack the trolls. Two of them went to the spit, and heaved it off, untying their friends as they did so.

She heard the young dark haired dwarf ask, "A little warm for you brother?" A blond haired dwarf, who looked similar to him, replied, "Shut up," and took the weapon he was being offered.

Suddenly a huge hand came towards her, and she instinctively rolled to the side, slashing at it with her sword. The troll cried out, and nearly stepped on her. Then a loud voice sounded from above a pile of rocks,

"May the dawn take you all!"

There was an old man with a tall hat and long cloak standing on top of it. He was holding a staff, and slammed it against the rocks. They broke, letting the rays of dawn shine through, and Eve watched in astonishment as the trolls tried turn to turn away, but slowly turned to stone.

After a few moments, the dwarves all turned to her, and a tall, dark haired dwarf walked towards her, his sword pointing at her chest.

"Who are you?" he demanded. She took a few steps back, and tried to return her breathing to normal.

"Who are you?" he shouted again, looking at her furiously. By now, the old man who had broken the rocks had joined them, and he looked at her in surprise. He must be some kind of wizard, she thought, and then told herself they weren't real. But then, trolls weren't supposed to be either.

"This is your last chance!" said the dwarf, taking a step forward. "Tell me who you are, or I will run this sword through your chest!" The wizard turned to him.

"That is no way to speak to a lady, Thorin. I would have thought you had better manners than these!" She had forgotten her hood was up, and quickly removed it. The dwarves let out a gasp, and Thorin lowered his sword.

"I apologize, my lady," he said, in a slightly more polite tone, but only slightly. "I did not realize."

She nodded, not sure what to do, but before she had opened her mouth, the wizard asked, "Whatever are you doing here, my lady? The woods are a dangerous place to be, especially at night!" She gulped, but finally worked up the courage to speak.

"I am lost. I do not know where I am, and I came upon your company quite by accident. I was looking for shelter when I saw the light, and came to this place." It sounded strange talking like this, quite old fashioned, but it had a nice feel to it. The wizard looked at her strangely, and asked in a cautious voice, "Where are you from?"

She went pale, and tried to think up an excuse, but nothing came to mind, so she decided to tell them the truth- sort of.

"I am not entirely sure. This place is very different from where I come from, almost like another world." The dwarves started to whisper amongst themselves, and some of them had their hands on their weapons. The younger dark haired dwarf, who had been joking with his brother, was watching her curiously. So was the wizard.

"I see." He said, stroking his long grey beard. "You are telling the truth. You are not of this world, and I would be very interested in how you came to it. But I will talk with you privately on that matter. Let me first introduce myself. I am Gandalf the Grey, and this is Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of our company." He gestured to the dwarf who had pointed his sword at her. He then pointed to the other dwarves in turn, naming; Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Ori, Nori, Dori, Dwalin, Balin, Oin, Gloin, Fili and Kili. The last dwarf, Kili, was the young black haired dwarf who had been watching her.

"And this is Mr Bilbo Baggins." finished Gandalf, pointing at the little man who had been distracting the trolls. They all looked at her expectantly, and it took her a few moments to realise why.

"Oh, I'm Eve. Eve McKinnon." She said quickly, blushing at the attention. Gandalf nodded, and then whispered something to Thorin, who called the dwarves to start searching for the troll's hideout. Gandalf pulled Eve to a side, and looked down at her seriously.

"Now Miss McKinnon, I want you to tell me exactly what happened."

**A/N Please review! I really want to know your opinions! I am about to start working on the second chapter which should be up soon! ~Littlelots**


	2. Chapter 2 Not Just A Pretty Face

_Previously_

_"Oh, I'm Eve. Eve McKinnon." She said quickly, blushing at the attention. Gandalf nodded, and then whispered something to Thorin, who called the dwarves to start searching for the troll's hideout. Gandalf pulled Eve to a side, and looked down at her seriously._

_"Now Miss McKinnon, I want you to tell me exactly what happened."_

* * *

Chapter 2. Not Just A Pretty Face

"And that's what happened!" she finished, watching Gandalf to see his reaction. He was stroking his beard thoughtfully, a frown wrinkling his forehead. She looked around, the dwarves had been gone quite a while now, and she wondered if they had found the cave. The sun was high in the sky, and casting shadows through the leafy canopy above. She was tired, and was about to sit down, when Gandalf sighed and she turned to look at him.

"I will speak to Lord Elrond about this," he said. "It is a very strange thing, and I do not understand how that bracelet brought you here. May I see it?" She nodded, and tried to take it off her wrist. But it wouldn't move. It was stuck to her! She pulled harder and let out a gasp as pain ricocheted through her. Gandalf eyes widened with shock, and he held her wrist, examining the bracelet closely. The stone in the middle was constantly glowing, a bluish vein running through it.

"This cannot-no-how has this happened…" he muttered to himself. He looked at her sharply.

"Do not try and take this bracelet off, under any circumstances. If I am not mistaken, and I rarely am, this is your life support. If you take it off, you will die."

There was a cough from behind them, and they turned to see Kili standing there awkwardly.

"We have found the cave," he said, pointing behind him, and trying to avoid looking at Eve. "Thorin said you expressed a wish to look inside." Eve noticed him glance at the bracelet, and she wondered how long he had been standing there.

"I did." Gandalf replied, and walked in the direction that Kili was pointing.

"Come, Miss McKinnon. You had better stay with us for now."

* * *

They walked through the forest, Eve occasionally stumbling in the bracken. Kili looked back at her a few times, whether to check if she was following, or for another reason, she wasn't sure. After a while they could hear the noise of the other dwarves, and came to a clearing. In the middle was a huge rock, with an entrance at the bottom. Gandalf walked towards it, but when Eve tried to follow, she was stopped by a couple of the dwarves.

"You don't want to go in there, lassie." The one called Bofur told her. "The smell is enough to knock someone out!" She nodded, and went to sit on a small boulder, a little distance between her and the dwarves. She was aware of them watching her, and tried to ignore it by looking at the scenery. It was beautiful; she could see mountains in the distance above the treetops. There were wild flowers decorating the ground, and birds singing in the trees. She sighed, thinking of how Katie would be if she was here. Her friend would have been chatting with the dwarves as easily as she did with her! A tear rolled down her cheek, as she wondered if she was ever going to get home. Katie would be in New Zealand by now, so she would be alone, anyway.

"Are you alright?" She jumped and looked up, to see Fili and Kili standing in front of her, looking concerned.

"I'm fine." She replied, wiping the tear away. The two dwarves sat down next to her, and Fili started to polish his sword. Kili, who was next to her, turned to look at her, asking,

"What's it like? The place you're from, is it very different?" She let out a shaky sigh.

"Yes," she replied. "There is no magic, or trolls, or dragons. There are huge buildings everywhere, and you are surrounded by noise. But it is not a bad place to live."

Kili frowned. "I see, well, I am trying too…"

Eve giggled lightly. "Trust me, it is beyond all imagination." Looking up, she noticed Thorin watching them from near the cave. When she looked at him, he scowled, and went to tell Bofur to get some food. Gandalf came out of the cave, handing a small knife to Bilbo, who looked quite shocked at being given a weapon. Then he came over to where she was sitting, addressing the two dwarves next to her.

"Fili! Kili! Why don't you get some food for our guest? She has had a long and difficult journey, and will no doubt need something to eat." The brothers got up, and headed in the same direction that Bofur had went. Gandalf sat down next to her.

"I would like to invite you to join our company, Miss McKinnon. I am hoping to lead them to Rivendell, where we shall speak to Lord Elrond about your circumstances. He will hopefully give us the information we require."

"Gandalf?" she said. He looked at her kindly. "Is Lord Elrond… human?"

Gandalf gave a hearty laugh, and she blushed, hoping she hadn't said anything offensive.

"No, my dear, Elrond is an Elf."

* * *

Kili was leaning against a tree trunk, eating the soup Bombur and Bofur had made. The fire was warm and even though it was only midday, he felt like he could fall asleep. Gandalf and the new girl approached and sat down near Thorin. Whatever Gandalf was saying, his uncle was not pleased with it. Kili kept glancing over at Eve, wondering who- and what she was. She was pretty, and had such a perfect complexion, except a few freckles, he wasn't sure if she was human. Her ears were slightly pointed, but not as much as an Elf's. He leaned over to his brother.

"Fili, what race is she? Is she a human or an Elf?" he asked, checking no one could hear them. Fili frowned.

"I'm not sure, maybe she is something else entirely." They watched her closely, and Kili noticed she kept touching the bracelet on her wrist. Why had Gandalf said that she would die without it? Surely a person's life cannot be tied with an object. He was so lost in his own thoughts; Fili had to elbow him to get his attention. All the dwarves were looking at him, and Thorin was watching him carefully.

"Now that you have finally given us your attention, I wish to say something." Gandalf announced, standing up and moving to the middle. "We are going to have another member to our company. Miss McKinnon is joining us, and-"he broke off as Thorin stood up, his face like thunder.

"I will not have a woman accompanying us! She would be a distraction and will delay us!" Kili chuckled, turning it into a cough when Thorin glared at him.

"She cannot even fight!" He continued, ignoring Eve's protests. Gandalf raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so? Have you tried her yet?" Thorin ground his teeth then turned to Fili.

"See if she can beat you." he commanded; a smirk on his face. "Only then will she be allowed to join us." Kili got up to protest. Fili was one of the best swordsmen around, and she wouldn't stand a chance. Fili didn't seem too happy either. He walked into a clear area and pulled out his sword, getting into a starting stance. Kili moved so he could get a good view, and intervene if necessary. Bilbo kept wringing his hands, looking worried. Eve walked towards Fili, pulling out her sword. A spark shot down it and the blade flashed red, but then turned to normal. It happened so quickly, Kili wasn't sure if the others had noticed. She copied Fili's stance and waited for him to attack. He ran towards her and she did a move Kili had never seen before. She dodged to the side, flicking her sword up, making Fili's sword slam flat into his forehead. Rolling to avoid his next blow, she kicked the back of his leg, and he fell over backwards. Standing in front of him, she pointed the sword at his neck, laughing at the expression on his face. Kili gazed at her in amazement, whilst Gandalf chuckled.

"Is **that** enough proof for you Thorin?" he asked. Thorin glared at him.

"We have no spare horses." he said. "There won't be enough room."

Kili however, was fed up with his uncle's protests, and called, "She can ride with me and Fili. We can take it in turns."

Gandalf smiled. "That's settled then!" he said. "We had better get the horses ready. Kili, Fili, Eve, could you do that?" The three of them nodded, and headed to where the horses were tied.

* * *

Fili rubbed his forehead, where a big bruise was starting to appear. Eve glanced at him, noticing the purplish lump.

"I'm sorry about that." Eve said apologetically, her face red.

Fili laughed. "Don't worry about it! It's more wounded pride than anything. Where did you learn to fight like that?" She turned away, and Kili was surprised to see her burst into tears. Fili looked shocked; he obviously hadn't thought the memory would upset her. Kili walked over to her and nervously put a hand on her shoulder. She turned and gazed at him, their eyes meeting, before she looked down at the ground. Kili had never liked seeing girls upset, but this felt different.

"We didn't mean to upset you…" he said cautiously. Eve shook her head.

"I'm sorry; it's me, being silly," She coughed, and wiped the tears off her face before continuing.

"My friend and I used to play around with sticks, and pretend we were fighting in a battle to save the world." Eve smile faintly, as though the memory was amusing, but then her face fell, as she added, "But I don't know if I'll see her again. She was the only person there for me, and now, she's gone."

"What about your family?" asked Kili, before he could stop himself. He immediately regretted it. Eve made a choking sound, and turned away from him. He had to strain his ears to hear her whisper,

"They're dead."

**A/N Sorry its short... I'm not very good at writing about the dwarves... ah well. Hope you liked it, and please review!**

**Thank you crystal-roses13 for writing my first review!**

**A big thank you to everyone who favorited this, or is following it!**


	3. Chapter 3 Apologies And Injuries

_Previously _

_"What about your family?" asked Kili, before he could stop himself. He immediately regretted it. Eve made a choking sound, and turned away from him. He had to strain his ears to hear her whisper,_

_"They're dead."_

Chapter 3. Apologies And Injuries

The dwarves climbed onto their horses, and Bilbo looked tiny on top of his little pony. Gandalf sat on a big brown stallion, checking the camp to make sure you couldn't have guessed they had been there. Eve stood in the middle of the group, tying the last few items to her bag. She heard a horse trot up behind her, and saw Kili sitting on top. He smiled at her, but she turned her head away, thinking of their earlier conversation. She didn't see the look of disappointment evident on his face. "Are you ready Eve?" he asked her, climbing off Daisy. She nodded, putting her pack on Myrtle's back. He came over and gently pushed her away from Myrtle, tying the pack on himself.

"I can do it myself…" she objected, but stopped when she saw his expression. "Kili?" He turned to her, with a sad smile.

"I'm really sorry Eve, about what I said earlier. I wasn't thinking." She was surprised; after all, she hadn't expected an apology. She smiled mischievously.

"DO dwarves think?" Kili looked at her, slightly offended, then realised she was joking.

"I guess that depends on what they are thinking of." He replied slyly. She blushed, and was about to retort, when Balin rode over to them.

"Hurry up," he said disapprovingly. "We haven't got all day."

Kili jumped onto Daisy and held out his hand to her. Grasping it, she swung herself up behind him, holding on tight around his waist. He looked over his shoulder at her, grinning.

"I'm not going to let you fall, you know." She blushed again, loosening her grip slightly. He turned back towards the front, so she couldn't see the smile that lit up his face, and they trotted after the others.

* * *

Kili rode up next to his brother. Fili was ridding Bungo, a black horse with a silvery mane. Fili looked at him, then at Eve, then back at him, his eyebrows raised. Kili smirked, and looked down at the hands holding tight to his waist.

"Is she asleep?" Fili asked him, noticing Eve had her head lying against his brothers back. Kili nodded.

"I'm not surprised, she had enough adventure last night to last her a while." He replied.

"Kili…" Fili began. "You aren't starting to-"He stopped abruptly at the sharp look from Kili.

"Not the place nor the time brother." He growled. Fili smiled, his question answered by Kili's reaction. They rode on in silence, until there was a shout from the front.

"Stop! We shall camp here for the night." Kili looked around, not realising how dark it had got. They had reached a glade, and were sheltered from the wind. He felt Eve stir behind him, and he grabbed hold of her hands with one of his, so she didn't fall off. She sat up, yawning, and whispered in his ear,

"What's going on? Where are we?"

"We are going to camp here tonight." He replied, climbing off Daisy, and holding out his hand for her. Eve took it and slid off, landing unsteadily, and Kili grabbed her shoulders. She looked up gratefully, but the look of concern on his face remained.

"Are you ok?" He asked, his hands still gripping her shoulders.

"I am, honest." She replied. "Just tired, that's all." He reluctantly let go of her, and turned away to tie Daisy up.

There was a crash behind them, and something came whizzing through the undergrowth. On it was a very odd-looking man in brown robes that looked like they had been woven from twigs and branches. A band of rabbits were hooked up to the sled the man rode.

"Radagast!" Gandalf said, smiling, walking over to the wizard.

"Oh, dear, Gandalf! Something has happened. Something terrible has happened!" Radagast babbled, shaking his hands.

"Yes?" Gandalf asked.

Radagast opened his mouth but froze. He then opened his mouth again but closed it just as quickly. "Oh, the thought was there, on the tip of my tongue. It's just – oh, it's not a thought of all," he said, suddenly sounding very strange. Radagast stuck out his tongue for Gandalf to delicately take a bug out of his mouth. "Stick insect!" the wizard said happily. Kili wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Gandalf led him away from the group, and the more Radagast chatted, the graver Gandalf's face became. Radagast pulled something out of his cloak that was wrapped in a dark cloth. Kili looked over; trying to see it, but Gandalf had turned his back to them.

* * *

Kili grabbed his bow, running his hand along the soft wood. He aimed a few shots at a tree, hitting a knot on the bark. He turned, noticing Eve watching him, obviously impressed. He winked at her, and shot an apple that Bombur was about to take a bite out of. She burst out laughing as Bombur looked up in shock. He tightened his grip on his bow as he heard a distant growl. "That better just be a wolf." he murmured.

"That is no wolf," Bofur shouted, pulling his hammer out.

Suddenly another snarl pierced the clearing. Kili whipped his head around to see a Warg leap over him in an effort to reach Eve. She jumped to the side, but the Warg slashed her leg as it landed. Dwalin, Bofur, and Thorin immediately jumped into action, hacking at the vile creature. Kili was about to run over to Eve, when he noticed another one hiding behind the trees and eyeing his uncle, Kili swiftly drew the bowstring back and fired right before the Warg reached Thorin; it fell and skidded to a stop right in front of him.

Kili ran to Eve, who was struggling to get up. He looked up at her, silently asking if it was ok to check the wound, and she nodded. He peeled away the cloth covering the wound on her calf, and examined it. It wasn't too deep, but it would take a while to heal. Ori came over with some medical supplies, and they bound it, Kili trying to tune out the gasps of pain Eve made every time he touched the cut. She tried to get up, but went white as a sheet, and passed out. He caught her, and lay her down again.

"A scout," his uncle hissed, looking at the dead Warg. "Which means an Orc pack is not far behind." Gandalf was back, standing next to Gloin, looking at Eve and then Thorin.

"Who did you tell about your quest beyond your kin," he demanded.

"No one!" Thorin answered.

"Who did you tell?" the wizard yelled again, apparently not satisfied with the answer.

"No one! I swear!" Thorin replied angrily. He looked around before asking Gandalf, "What in Durin's name is going on?"

"You are being hunted."

Dori ran towards them, skidding down a slope.

"Th-the horses! They're gone!" He cried. The dwarves all groaned.

"The pack is getting closer, Thorin." Gandalf said, "We are wasting time!"

"We must move, now." Thorin shouted.

Kili looked up in shock, glancing between the wizard and his uncle.

"But, what about Eve? She can't walk, and we have no horses! We can't just leave her!" Thorin glared at Eve, as though wishing he had been more adamant about her not coming.

"We need to leave, now! If she cannot walk…" he broke off, as Kili lifted Eve over his shoulder. She was light, and Kili knew he would be able to keep up. They grabbed the packs, and were about to leave when Radagast ran over to them.

"I'll draw them off!" He prattled, climbing on his rabbit drawn sled. "Nothing can outrun Rhosgobel Rabbits!" He sped off, and the company stared at him for a moment, before Gandalf called them to their senses.

"Let's go." He said.

* * *

Kili was holding his bow, with an arrow drawn. Fili had taken Eve for now, as his uncle had demanded Kili be ready to shoot. They were standing behind some boulders, checking to see if the coast was clear, before running across the wide plain to another rocky outcrop. Radagast was leading the Orcs away for now, so they risked it. They reached the boulders, and Thorin stopped suddenly. Ori nearly ran past him, but Thorin grabbed his back, pulling him back. The Orcs were in front of them! They pressed themselves against the rock, trying to hide. Suddenly, there was growling, too near for the pack of Wargs, and Kili realized there was an Orc above them. He ran out from the protection of the rocks, and shot the Warg. It wasn't his best shot, and the Orc raised a horn to its mouth, so he shot it again. It crashed down in front of them, and the others finished it off. Looking behind him, Kili saw that they were surrounded.

"Where's Gandalf?" cried Bilbo, looking around in terror.

"He's abandoned us!" Dwalin growled, as Kili shot one of the Orcs. He readied his bow, aiming at the closest Warg as he heard the wizard call, "This way you fools!" There was a small tunnel behind one of the boulders, and one by one, the dwarves went through. Naturally, Bombur got stuck, and it took Bofur pulling and Dwalin pushing him to get him in. Meanwhile, Kili was keeping the Orcs at bay, and he checked to see if Eve was okay. He saw Fili carry her down, and he felt a pang of guilt. If he had shot that Warg, she wouldn't be hurt. He heard Thorin calling him, and realized he was the last one out. He quickly turned and jumped down the hole. They were in a cave, and there was a passage leading to Durin knows where on the opposite wall. There was the sound of a horn blowing, and a few moments later, a dead Orc rolled down and landed in front of Balin.

Bofur went to look down the passage.

"Do we follow it?" he asked.

"Of course!" replied Dwalin; and the company made their way along the tunnel.

**A/N Sorry this isn't a very good chapter... I haven't seen the Hobbit for a while, so I'm finding it difficult to remember what happened. I know I changed the horses bit; it was mostly an accident leaving them in the previous chapter. I promise it will get better!**

**Thank you everyone who has reviewed, added to favourites, or is following! **


	4. Chapter 4 The Valley Of Imladris

_Previously _

_They were in a cave, and there was a passage leading to Durin knows where on the opposite wall. There was the sound of a horn blowing, and a few moments later, a dead Orc rolled down and landed in front of Balin._

_Bofur went to look down the passage._

"_Do we follow it?" he asked._

"_Of course!" replied Dwalin; and the company made their way along the tunnel__._

Chapter 4. The Valley Of Imladris

"_Eve! Dinner time!" _

_The little girl turned, her eyes sparkling, and ran over to her parents. She was wearing a pink swimming costume, with little flowers decorating it, and she pulled her goggles off as she sat down next to her mother. This was their first holiday abroad, and they were staying in a resort in Sumatra. Her mother handed her a towel. "We are going to eat in the restaurant, love, so you had better get dressed again." _

_Eve smiled, and picked up her pile of clothes, running to one of the changing lockers. She came out a few minutes later and slowly walked back to her parents, so as not to slip into the pool. Her father was looking at the sky, a worried look on his face. Hundreds of birds were flying southward, and there was a strong breeze. His wife punched his arm gently. _

"_It's just the wind." She said smiling. _

_Eve handed her towel and swimming costume to her mother, who put them in a bag, and took the little girls hand. They walked into the restaurant, and sat down to eat. _

"_Thank you for the holiday." __Eve whispered to her parents. Her mother smiled at her, and was about to reply, when several people ran to look out the window. The trees were bending over from the wind, and people were running inside. Her father got up, and walked up to the glass, peering out. A huge tidal wave suddenly appeared over the trees, and came hurtling towards the resort. Eve's father turned to look at them in horror as it hit, and Eve felt herself being pushed along in the water, struggling to keep her head above the surface, before climbing onto the top of a lorry, and everything went black._

* * *

"Are you ok?"

Eve looked up at Fili, who was frowning down at her. His hair was a mess after running from the Orcs, and he had bags under his eyes. She gulped, quickly thinking of an excuse. She didn't want them to know what had happened, at least not yet.

"I'm fine," she lied, trying to smile. "I… just feel bad about you having to carry me."

He chuckled, his green eyes crinkling at the corners.

"I don't mind, you're not exactly heavy." He smirked. Eve looked down, and there was an awkward silence between them till Bofur shouted,

"I can see the end of the tunnel!"

The grey gloom of the tunnel lessened, and Eve looked up as they came onto a ledge, in front of the most beautiful place she had ever seen. They were in a valley, with waterfalls pouring down the cliffs, reflecting the afternoon sunlight. It was lined with trees, and there was a river running down the middle. The air felt warmer, and the breeze was gentle and welcoming. Down amongst the trees, and along the river banks were ornate houses. Not normal brick houses, or even woodland cottages, these were Elven homes. They were carved from wood, with terraces on the fronts, and decorated with ornate sculptures and carvings. They looked open, and inviting, and she noticed elves walking along the paths that connected the buildings. Statues were dotted here and there, and flowers grew in abundance. She gasped in amazement, and was so enchanted by the beauty of the realm, that she almost missed what Gandalf was saying.

"Welcome to the Valley of Imladris, more commonly known, as Rivendell."

Thorin turned to him, his brow furrowed in anger.

"You have led us straight to our enemies! They will certainly stop us if they find out our mission!"

"You have no enemies here, besides the ones you make, Thorin Oakenshield!" Gandalf rebuked him. "Getting through this will require no small amount of charm, which is why **I** shall be doing the talking." He added sternly.

* * *

Gandalf led the company down a winding path that ended on a stone dais, situated in the middle of the river. Bridges led off it to different parts of the valley, criss-crossing over the gently flowing stream. A dark-haired elf came running down the steps of one of the grandest houses, and approached them. Eve looked at him curiously. She had never seen anyone with such pointed ears or symmetrical features. He walked up to Gandalf and bowed.

"Mithrandir!"

"Ah, Lindir," replied Gandalf, bowing slightly in return. "I seek council with Lord Elrond."

"My Lord Elrond is not here-"he began, but at that moment, the same horn the dwarves had heard on the plains sounded, and Eve saw a small group of horses approaching. The dwarves started yelling at each other, and formed a tight formation in the centre of the platform. Fili, Eve and Ori were pushed into the middle. The riders circled them, and one of them called out in greeting.

"Gandalf!" he climbed off his horse, and embraced the wizard. He was dressed in golden plated armour, and had a thin circlet resting upon his long brown hair. He had an air of wisdom and power around him that affected all those near him. The elf spoke with Gandalf for a few moments in Elvish, before turning to the rest of the company.

"Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain. I knew your grandfather, Thror, well, and I am pleased to meet with his heir. May I invite you to dine with us?"

Lindir walked up and whispered something to him, and Elrond, turned back to them, noticing Eve in Fili's arms.

"I will have your injured friend taken to the healing rooms. She will be free to join us if she is able."

Lindir came towards them, and the dwarves reluctantly moved out of his way. He stopped in front of Fili, who was looking at him suspiciously, but nodded and let him take the girl. He lifted her gently, and walked away from the company, disappearing into the woods. Fili and Kili watched him nervously, but followed the Elf maiden who came to show them the way to the dining hall.

* * *

Eve looked around in awe. She was overcome by the incomparable beauty of Rivendell. It made her think vaguely of Switzerland, she had done a geography report on it, but even that had been nothing compared to here. They arrived at the healing house, and Lindir carried her in, gently laying her down on a bed, before turning to one of the healers. They spoke briefly, and then he turned back to her, bowed and left. The healer came over to her and smiled.

"My name is Nethril. What ails you _pen-tithen?"_

Eve gestured to her leg.

"I was attacked by a Warg, and I didn't move fast enough." She explained. Nethril nodded, and examined the wound.

"_Ceven dhaer anno vellas lín enin 'raw hen_." She whispered, holding her hand above the cut. She then turned, and started gathering and mixing herbs. Eve watched her work. She wished she could do healing, she would be much more use to the dwarves then. After a while, she realized Nethril had started singing, and listened attentively.

"_O Elbereth Gilthoniël_

_silivren penna míriël_

_o menel aglar elenath!_

_Na-chaered palan-díriël_

_o galadhremmin ennorath,_

_Fanuilos, le linnathon_

_nef aear, sí nef aearon!"_

Eve felt her eyes closing, and though she wanted to hear the whole song, she felt herself drifting off to sleep.

* * *

The dwarves were lead up a great staircase to one of Elrond's chambers. Like the rest of the structures in Rivendell, it was very open, and the landscape could be seen for miles around from the great table resting upon the balcony. Elves rushed to and fro, bringing all sorts of vegetables and wines. Gandalf sat at a separate table with Elrond, talking in hushed voices.

"Do you think they have any chips?" Ori whispered loudly across the table, clearly displeased with the lettuce on his plate.

"Where's the meat?" Bombur's eyes darted over the table.

"I don't think elves really eat meat." Balin frowned.

A groan of dissatisfaction erupted from the dwarves before they attempted to tackle what had been given to them. Kili kept looking up to see if Eve had come back, but there was no sign of her. It's just taking a while to heal, he told himself. She'll be fine; the elves will take care of her. Not that he trusted the elves, but he knew their healing was better than most. He looked down at his plate of fruit and vegetables. Picking up a peach, he bit into it. Juice dribbled down his chin, and he wiped it on his cuff. Looking up he noticed Fili laughing at him. Shooting a glare at his brother, he took another bite from the peach. It wasn't too bad, not as good as meat of course, but at least it was better than leaves. The wine was good, fruity, but appetizing. Even so, ale would have been more generally appreciated. Elves and their strange ways, he thought. He looked out into the valley, wondering where Eve was, and wishing she was sitting beside him. **That** would make the meal more interesting for sure.

**A/N I am so sorry about the delay in posting this! I have so much homework at the moment…. Anyway, I believe I have a few translations to explain.**

**First of all, Nethril means healer, so the ideal name. (Hopefully?)**

**The healing spell she uses translates to – **_**Great earth, may you give your strength to this body. **_**Not very exciting, but I found it on a site, and thought I'd add it in. Also, _pen-tithen_, means little one.**

**If you were wondering what the translation to - O Elbereth Gilthoniël, was, here you are! **

_**O Elbereth Starkindler, white-glittering, slanting down sparkling like a jewel, the glory of the starry host! Having gazed far away from the tree-woven lands of Middle-earth, to thee, Everwhite, I will sing, on this side of the Sea, here on this side of the Ocean! **_**(I think it sounds better in Sindarin!) **

**Also I thought I'd tell you a bit of her history, yes, her parents die in a tsunami. *Feels* You will find out more about it later on! Thanks for reading so far, ****and PLEASE REVIEW! :D**


	5. Chapter 5 The Calm Before The Storm

_Previously _

_Picking up a peach, he bit into it. Juice dribbled down his chin, and he wiped it on his cuff. Looking up he noticed Fili laughing at him. Shooting a glare at his brother, he took another bite from the peach. It wasn't too bad, not as good as meat of course, but at least it was better than leaves. The wine was good, fruity, but appetizing. Even so, ale would have been more generally appreciated. Elves and their strange ways, he thought. He looked out into the valley, wondering where Eve was, and wishing she was sitting beside him. That would make the meal more interesting for sure._

Chapter 5. The Calm Before The Storm

_She was being pushed along, the water churning around her. Her leg caught something, and she cried out in agony. Her head went under, and she struggled to resurface. The water kept dragging her in its currents, and she tried to swim but kept getting pushed underwater. She saw something sticking out of the water, it looked like a lorry. A couple of people were lying on top of it, safely out of the water. She tried to get towards it, but the water kept pulling her away. The people on top noticed her, and the lady grabbed the ankle of the man, as he leaned out towards her. Eve felt her fingers touch his, and he grasped her wrist firmly, pulling her to safety. She crawled towards the middle of the roof, before collapsing, and losing consciousness. _

* * *

Eve woke with a jump. She had been dreaming of that fateful day, and it had been so vivid, it was like reliving it. She looked at her leg, gasping in surprise as there was nothing but a long, white scar remaining. She stretched and moving her left leg off the bed carefully, gingerly tested her weight on it. It throbbed a bit, but at least she could walk. Ignoring the dull ache, she walked towards the room the healers were in, and knocked quietly on the door. There was the sound of footsteps, and Nethril appeared, looking at her in surprise.

"_Pen-tithen!_ May I help you? Is your leg better?" Eve smiled at her, she had been so kind.

"My leg is much better, thank you. It only hurts a little. Is there anywhere I can bathe?" Nethril smiled,

"Of course. I shall show you a room, and get some water ready for you." Nethril led her to a small chamber, which had a pool in the middle. Eve sat and waited patiently, whilst Nethril prepared it for her.

"I shall be back in half an hour. I will find some clothes for you as well." She said, before bowing slightly, and leaving the room.

Eve sighed as she slipped into the warm water. It felt so good not having to bathe in a stream, avoiding the two brothers who kept spying on her. She smiled, wondering where they were, and if they were causing anymore mischief.

* * *

Kili sat by the fire listening to Bofur playing. He had hoped Eve would be back by now; she had been gone for hours. A few of the other dwarves, mainly the younger ones, kept looking up every time they heard someone go past, and then turned away disappointed. Pulling himself away from his thoughts, he listened to Bofur singing a tune he hadn't heard before.

_Of all the money ere I had, I spent it in good company,_

_And all the harm I've ever done, alas was done to none but me_

_And all I've done for want of wit, to memory now I can't recall_

_So fill me to the parting glass, goodnight and joy be with you all._

_Of all the comrades ere I had, they're sorry for my going away,_

_And all the sweethearts ere I had, they wish me one more day to stay,_

_But since it falls unto my lot that I should go and you should not,_

_I'll gently rise and softly call, goodnight and joy be with you all._

_If I had money enough to spend and leisure time to sit awhile_

_There is a fair maid in this town who sorely has my heart beguiled _

_Her rosy cheeks and ruby lips, I alone she has my heart in thrall_

_So fill me to the parting glass goodnight and joy be with you all._

Bofur smiled, looking into the fire, and Kili wondered if he had been speaking of someone he held dear to him.

"That was a good one laddie, where's it from?" Balin asked, looking at Bofur. The dwarf shrugged.

"No idea, I've always known it." With that, he turned away, and gazed into the fire again. Kili felt someone sit next to him, and looked up to see his brother.

"You're rather quiet tonight." He stated, watching Kili with a quizzical expression.

"Am I?" Kili asked, leaning his head against the wall. Fili frowned.

"Yes, you are only ever this quiet when you are asleep; actually, you aren't even this quiet when you are asleep. What's the matter?" Kili didn't reply; he just glanced up at the doorway. Fili chuckled softly.

"I see... you are missing our beautiful companion." He remarked, barely masking his snigger. Kili glared up at him.

"Aren't you?" Fili looked surprised, and the grin on his face slowly disappeared.

"Yeah, why is she taking so long?" Kili shrugged.

"I don't know, I just hope she is ok." He couldn't imagine not seeing those dazzling blue eyes, or that smile, which made him forget everything he was saying. He sighed, wishing she was snuggled up to him, her cheek resting against his chest.

* * *

Eve wrapped the towel around herself, waiting for Nethril to return. Her leg was still aching, but the warm water had helped, and now she barely noticed it. She moved her hair, so that it was hanging over her shoulder, and twisted it, wringing the water out. She did it again on the other side, and then ran her fingers through it, detangling any knots she could find. There was a gentle knock on the door, and Nethril opened it, holding a long green dress over one arm, and some undergarments over the other. She placed them down over a chair, and looked at Eve expectantly. Eve glanced between the dress and the elf waiting, realising that she was there to help. Her face went red, and she said quickly,

"I can manage on my own, thank you." She didn't mean to be rude, but it was a bit strange having someone to help her get dressed. Nethril nodded.

"I will be just outside if you need me." She said, smiling at the girl, before leaving the room. Eve quickly got dressed, and found that she would need Nethril after all. There was a little button at the top of her dress that she couldn't quite reach. She called for the elf, who came in, and noticing her dilemma, quickly did the button for her. Eve sat down, and Nethril started to do her hair, plaiting it at the front, and then making a small plait at the back. She then got some little beads attached to bits of wire, and threaded them into the plait, making it seem like her hair had tiny diamonds in it. Eve looked at her hair in amazement. Usually it would just be in a ponytail or loose, never anything as embellished as this. She stood up, and gave the elf maiden a hug. Nethril looked surprised, but smiled, and led the girl to where her friends were staying.

* * *

Kili was lying on the floor, his hands under his head, looking at the ceiling. There were runes and pictures carved onto it, scenes from history, and from songs and stories. He heard the sound of someone opening the door quietly, and sat up to see an elf dressed in green, with her copper hair hanging down, and ornately plaited at the front coming towards them. As she came closer, a couple of the dwarves gasped.

"Eve?" Bofur asked, his face showing his astonishment.

"Yes? What is it?" The girl replied, frowning at their stunned expressions. Kili jumped up, and gave her a hug, closely followed by Fili, Ori, Bilbo and Bofur. She looked surprised at this sudden attention, and looked down shyly.

"It's good to see you looking better lass." Balin said, smiling at her.

"Thank you." She replied, embarrassment etched on her face. She sat down next to Fili and Kili, and they were joined by Bilbo and Ori, both of whom were wondering about her health. Ori pulled out his book and some charcoal, and started to sketch the scene before him. Kili watched her as she told them about Nethril, and the healing salve. After a while, she glanced up, catching his gaze. He kept eye contact for a few moments, before turning away, trying to stop himself from saying anything he shouldn't. He remembered something his uncle had told him. Dwarves only love once Kili, he had said. Make sure you choose the right one. He looked at Eve again, as she laughed at one of Fili's jokes. Yes, he told himself. Yes, I think I have.

**A/N Sorry it's so short! I have run out of any ideas of what might happen here….. So… Help me please!**

**The song Bofur sings is The Parting Glass. I don't know who it is by, but it is an old Irish folk song. **

**Hope you enjoyed it, and please review! I need opinions and ideas! ~Littlelots**


	6. Chapter 6 To Leave Or Stay In Paradise

_Previously _

_"Thank you." She replied, embarrassment etched on her face. She sat down next to Fili and Kili, and they were joined by Bilbo and Ori, both of whom were wondering about her health. Ori pulled out his book and some charcoal, and started to sketch the scene before him. Kili watched her as she told them about Nethril, and the healing salve. After a while, she glanced up, catching his gaze. He kept eye contact for a few moments, before turning away, trying to stop himself from saying anything he shouldn't. He remembered something his uncle had told him. Dwarves only love once Kili, he had said. Make sure you choose the right one. He looked at Eve again, as she laughed at one of Fili's jokes. Yes, he told himself. Yes, I think I have._

_**Disclaimer; I do not own the Hobbit; I only own my character Eve. Coldplay owns the song.**_

Chapter 6. To Leave Or Stay In Paradise

"I still don't see why I can't!" Eve yelled; her voice hoarse. She had been arguing with Thorin over whether or not she was allowed to stay in the company for several hours now. The other members had gotten bored, and were either lazing around by the fire, or sleeping. Kili and Fili had tried to talk their uncle round, they were used to Eve's company by now, and neither of them could bear the thought of losing her. However, they had given up a while ago, so it was now down to Eve.

Kili was still watching, intently. She glanced at him, as Thorin started shouting at her again, his face as red as Gloin's hair.

"You are not healed enough, and we don't want you getting injured again! You can stay here, protected and cared for; there is nothing for you where we are going!" She glared at him, feeling tears well up in her eyes. The injustice, the-the-how did he know there was nothing for her? Once again, she found herself looking at his youngest nephew, finding his gaze renewed her strength. She took a deep breath, and looked straight into Thorin's eyes.

"You have no idea what lies ahead, nor if there is anything there for me. You still know virtually nothing about me, and you have no idea what I am capable of. I can fight, as I demonstrated when I beat your nephew. I saved your life Thorin Oakenshield, you owe me, whether you like it or not. What I ask for is to be allowed on this journey, and the more people behind you, the better." Her voice was eerily calm, and how it came out so steady she had no idea, her hands were shaking in silent fury. He stared at her, and she could tell she had won. If there was something the dwarf king hated, it was being indebted to someone. He turned on his heel, and walked to the rest of the company, most of whom were staring at them, their mouths wide open.

"We leave at dawn." He said gruffly, before walking out the room. There was a moment of silence, before the dwarves who were still awake started cheering, and hugged Eve numerous times. Kili was watching her, his eyes bright, and a smile playing on his lips. But there was another emotion hidden in his eyes, something only his brother recognised. Fear. Fear for her. However, he went over and hugged her as well, maybe a tad longer than the other dwarves, but she didn't mind. She rested her head against his chest, sighing with relief that she wouldn't lose her new friends. There was a small cough behind them, and she pulled away, a blush creeping into her face as she saw Fili giving her a knowing look. She looked down, and quickly ran off to pack her bag, whilst Kili scowled at his brother.

* * *

Eve closed the door of her room with a sigh, the redness still apparent on her cheeks. Trust Fili to ruin their moment. Not that Thorin would approve, he'd probably disown Kili if they- stop it Eve, she told herself. You were only hugging him. Nothing else, he probably thinks of you as his little sister, if that! She slowly moved away from the door, picking up her pack and putting it on her bed. The room was quite light, to say it was early evening, and she gazed out the window, looking at the beautiful vista she might never see again. That thought made her heart break a little, Rivendell was the most beautiful place she had ever been to, or even imagined. Gathering her belongings, Eve filled her sack, placing in it some of the clothes the Elves had given her. She was just tying it closed, when she heard a gentle knock on the door, too gentle for a dwarf. She walked over, and opened it, gasping in surprise as Arwen Undomiel stood on the threshold. The Elf smiled at her, gliding into the room with such grace, it made Eve feel jealous.

"May-may I help you Milady?" she stammered, trying to think if she had done something wrong.

"I have a gift for you, two actually." She said; her voice as soft as silk. She held out a small box, and, feeling slightly nervous, Eve opened it. Inside, on a velvet cushion, lay a vial filled with an amber coloured liquid. She looked up at the Elf in confusion.

"What is it?" she asked, looking at the ornate runes carved into the glass.

"This is the most powerful healing potion in Middle-Earth." Arwen replied. "It can heal almost every wound and ailment, and one need only use three drops. I have a feeling you will need it before your journey ends." Eve bit her lip, amazed at the generous gift. It must be a rare potion indeed.

"A word of warning though," the elf added. "Never use more than three drops in a day, or whoever takes it will be driven insane." Eve's eyes went wide, and she looked at the vial with more caution than before.

"Th-thank you." She whispered, gratitude filling her eyes. Arwen smiled at her, before holding out a dagger.

"This is my other gift. It is of Elven make, and called Feryn, the hunter. The sword will glow blue when danger is near, and if you lay it on the ground and spin it, the blade will always point north." She looked at Eve, and there was sadness in her eyes. "Good luck." She whispered, before quietly leaving the room. Eve packed the box into her bag, and attached the knife to her belt. Then she walked over to the window, and climbed out onto a little balcony. Leaning on the rail, she quietly started to sing, as she looked at the valley in front of her.

"_When she was just a girl _

_She expected the world _

_But it flew away from her reach so _

_She ran away in her sleep _

_And dreamed of _

_Para-para-paradise, Para-para-paradise, Para-para-paradise _

_Every time she closed her eyes _

_When she was just a girl _

_She expected the world _

_But it flew away from her reach _

_And the bullets catch in her teeth _

_Life goes on, it gets so heavy _

_The wheel breaks the butterfly _

_Every tear a waterfall _

_In the night the stormy night she'll close her eyes _

_In the night the stormy night away she'd fly _

_And dreams of _

_Para-para-paradise _

_Para-para-paradise _

_Para-para-paradise _

_Oh oh oh oh oh oh-oh-oh _

_She'd dream of _

_Para-para-paradise _

_Para-para-paradise _

_Para-para-paradise _

_Oh oh oh oh oh oh-oh-oh-oh _

_La-la-la-la-la-la-la _

_La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la _

_And so lying underneath those stormy skies _

_She'd say, "Oh, ohohohoh I know the sun must set to rise" _

_This could be _

_Para-para-paradise _

_Para-para-paradise _

_This could be _

_Para-para-paradise _

_Oh oh oh oh oh oh-oh-oh _

_This could be _

_Para-para-paradise _

_Para-para-paradise _

_This could be _

_Para-para-paradise _

_Oh oh oh oh oh-oh-oh-oh."_ She started to sob, a tear rolling down her cheek. Someone put a hand on her shoulder, and she jumped, turning around to see Kili looking at her sadly. He gently wiped the tear from her cheek, as she stared at him in shock.

"That was beautiful." He told her, wrapping his arms around her. She put her head on his chest, and stood there in his arms, feeling the safety and love that she had not known for so long. It brought all her memories back, and she broke-down, letting go of all the pain and anger she had inside her, finding all the comfort she need in Kili's embrace.

* * *

After he had carried Eve to her bed, and checked she was ok, Kili made his way back to the other dwarves. They were in the big hall, and he tried to slip in as inconspicuously as possible. He managed surprisingly well, only Bofur and Fili noticed him. He walked over to his brother, and slumped down against the wall.

Fili was watching him with a curious expression, and the moment he had sat down, he asked, "Where have you been?" Kili ignored the question, staring into the fire, so his brother repeated it again, a little more insistently.

Kili looked at him, and answered evasively. "Walking..."

Fili sighed. "You went to see Eve, didn't you?" His brother made no reply, so Fili knew he was correct. "You know uncle won't be pleased if you-" he was cut off, however, by an angry remark from Kili.

"Do you think I care? If uncle disapproves, that's fine, but I have made my decision Fili, and you had best accept it." Fili looked taken aback.

"Kili, I didn't mean-"

"I know what you meant brother." He replied, before turning to his pack and laying out his bed-roll. "Night." He lay with his back to Fili, and guilt stabbed at him. He shouldn't have snapped, he didn't know why he had. He was just so worried about Eve, and wasn't sure if her coming with them was a good idea. He sighed, and felt a hand on his head. Fili had often done this to help him calm down, and it helped as much as it had all those years ago.

"I'm sorry Fili." He muttered, rolling over to face his brother.

"I know Kili." Fili replied, smiling sadly at him. "Just… don't anger uncle. Please." Kili nodded, and closed his eyes, trying to find some peace. Fili kept his hand on his little brothers head, and Kili slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

He woke up to someone shaking him. Blinking open his eyes, he saw Bofur grinning down at him.

"G'morning lad." He said, offering a hand to pull him up. Kili grasped it, and got to his feet, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He looked around the other members of the company, noting three were missing; Eve, Fili and Thorin. He turned to Bofur, about to ask him where they were, but the toymaker beat him to it.

"Fili is waking Miss Eve up, and Thorin is speaking with Gandalf." He told him, his eyes twinkling. "You had better make sure you've got everything, we're leaving as soon as your uncle returns." Kili nodded, and rolled his blankets up, stuffing them in his pack. He felt someone tap his shoulder, and Ori stood behind him, holding out some bread and a mug of water.

"You missed breakfast, and I thought you might be hungry." He said with a smile. Kili thanked him, and gratefully ate his meal. He kept looking up at the door, wondering why it was taking Fili so long.

* * *

"Eve. Eve! EVE!" She sat up, her hand darting to the knife on her bedside table. She looked up, and sighed with relief when she saw it was only Fili.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize." She mumbled, looking at him apologetically. He chuckled, but a frown appeared on his forehead. She noticed this change, and, tilting her head to the side, asked him what the matter was.

He started chewing his lip, before saying, "Its Kili…" She looked at him in surprise.

"Kili? What's wrong with him? Has something happened?" Fili shook his head, avoiding her gaze.

"It's Kili…and you." Her eyes widened, staring at him in confusion.

"Kili and me?" He ran a hand through his hair, why didn't she understand?!

"Kili likes you, a lot. And the thing is, I doubt my uncle will approve, and I just, I just don't want Kili to be hurt." He finally looked at her, and was shocked to see the pain in her eyes. "I don't mean-I-darn, I'm rubbish at this!"

"It's ok." She replied quietly. "I understand. I'm sorry… I guess we didn't really think it through, him being an heir of Durin, and me being… me being a nobody." He looked at her in horror, about to explain himself, but she shook her head.

"I need to get ready, if I'm going to continue the journey with you. Would you please leave?" He looked at her, hesitating slightly, before bowing his head, and walking out the room. The moment the door closed, she burst into tears, burying her head in her pillow. He mentally shook herself. If any of the dwarves could see her now, they would think her weak. She was NOT weak. Jumping up, Eve grabbed her gear, and her clothes, changing into her leggings, tunic, and leather bodice. Swinging her cloak around her shoulders, and grabbing her pack, she marched out the room. She ran back in a moment later to pull on her boots, muttering about her stupidity, before leaving the room once again, picking up her pack, and heading off to find the dwarves.

* * *

A couple of the dwarves looked up as she marched into their midst, Kili included, but she ignored them, and stood in a corner, out of the way. She didn't see the look of hurt that crossed Kili's face, or the suspicious look he gave his brother. Thorin glanced at her, before turning to address the group.

"We are leaving immediately, for Lord Elrond is in a meeting, and cannot stop us. Gandalf will meet us in the mountains, since he is also in this conference. We must stay out of sight of any elves, for they will alert Lord Elrond of our departure. Let's go."

The company set off, and Eve kept a distance, staying at the back. She saw Kili stop to wait for her, and felt a pain in her chest as she met his gaze. He was frowning at her, as if trying to figure out what he had done wrong. She glanced at his brother, and then looked down at her feet, as she walked up to them. Kili opened his mouth to speak, but Fili shook his head. They walked on in silence, and as she crossed the bridge over the River Bruinen, she glanced back. A figure was standing at the top of the staircase to the Last Homely House, dressed in white, her dark hair falling over her shoulders. Arwen Undomiel raised a hand in farewell and Eve waved back, as she followed after the rest of the company, leaving the safety of the valley.

**A/N Well... that was interesting to do! I had an idea of what I was going to write, and this is not what I had planned! C'est la vie! I like little dilemmas! Hope you enjoy it, and if you don't… I wrote this on very little sleep, not that that is a very good excuse! I know the Title is rubbish... I couldn't think of anything! XD**

**Thank you everyone who reviewed, sorry if I forgot to reply to you! You guys are seriously amazing! And you have given me some great ideas for future chapters! **

**Each review is like a chocolate cupcake topped with whipped cream, mmmm creeeeeammm!**

**Anyway, please review! It helps me write faster! Honest! ~Littlelotsmayhavehadtoomuchs ugar ^.^**


	7. Chapter 7 Where It All Goes Wrong

_Previously_

_The company set off, and Eve kept a distance, staying at the back. She saw Kili stop to wait for her, and felt a pain in her chest as she met his gaze. He was frowning at her, as if trying to figure out what he had done wrong. She glanced at his brother, and then looked down at her feet, as she walked up to them. Kili opened his mouth to speak, but Fili shook his head. They walked on in silence, and as she crossed the bridge over the River Bruinen, she glanced back. A figure was standing at the top of the staircase to the Last Homely House, dressed in white, her dark hair falling over her shoulders. Arwen Undomiel raised a hand in farewell and Eve waved back, as she followed after the rest of the company, leaving the safety of the valley._

Chapter 7. Where It All Goes Wrong

Eve was rather quiet as they walked. She kept thinking of the gifts from Lady Arwen, and of the reason behind giving them. What was so special about her that the elves gave her gifts of such value? She was just Eve McKinnon, from Darley Moor. Running her hand through her hair, her mind wandered to the other matter. Her eyes followed her train of thought, resting on the problem. Kili. Why did she have to fall for someone, who she wasn't allowed to be with? Fili had made it quite clear that Thorin didn't want her to have anything to do with his nephew. She sighed, and Kili turned to look at her. He had being giving her strange looks all day, and so had Fili. It was starting to get annoying.

"Are you alright?" he asked, stopping next to her. She gazed into his eyes, a big mistake, and found herself getting lost in them. After a moment, he tilted his head, looking quizzically at her.

Blushing, she quickly replied, "I'm fine."

"Are you?" That reply caught her off-guard. "You've been acting strange all day…" he trailed off, a curious expression capturing his features.

"It's nothing." She said, hoping to dispel of his worries, but to no avail.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked, fiddling with his knife. She ran her hand through her hair again; she did this whenever she was stressed or worried, and shook her head.

"It's... it's nothing you did." He glanced at her in surprise.

"Who then? What did they do?" he demanded, sounding a bit like his uncle.

"Kili, please, not now." She begged, trying to end the conversation. Fili was watching them nervously, and his gaze met Eve's for a second before turning away. Kili noticed this, and turned to his brother angrily.

"What did you do?!" He shouted, making the rest of the company, who were now a slight distance away, stop and turn around. Thorin glared at the trio, and began marching back to them.

"Kili, please, drop the matter!" Eve whispered, fearing his uncle's reaction. She started walking towards the group, but Kili grabbed her wrist, pulling her round to face him.

"I need to know." He whispered, looking into her eyes. She didn't realise how close they were standing, until Thorin reached them, and pulled his nephew away.

"What is going on?" He growled, glaring at the three of them in turn. His gaze rested on Eve, and his eyes narrowed. Fili stepped in front of her, quickly answering his question.

"It was my fault; I was teasing Kili about his beard. Eve was trying to stop me." Thorin sighed, though he didn't seem wholly convinced.

"Leave your brother alone Fili. I thought you had grown out of this childish behaviour. You are on watch first tonight, now hurry up and stop slowing us down!"

He stormed off, leaving the trio silent. Without looking at each other, they hurried to catch up with the rest of the dwarves.

* * *

The path started to go up through the mountains. It had started raining, and the rocks were slippery and hard to walk on. There was a cry from the back as Bilbo lost his footing, and nearly fell off the side of the cliff, but was grabbed by the collar by Gloin, who was walking behind him. The ginger dwarf started muttering, pulling Bilbo back onto the rocks. The hobbit held onto the cliff-face so tightly, his knuckles were white. Eve was in the middle of the group, with Kili in front of her, and Fili watching her carefully from behind. The brothers had to help her a couple of times, she was finding it difficult to get a good grip.

The higher they climbed, the worse the storm got. The road was quickly becoming even more perilous. The rain was almost blinding, and the narrowing path on the mountain was most definitely not calming any nerves among the company.

"Thorin! We have to move!" Dori yelled, stating the obvious, but it was true; if the company didn't find shelter soon, there may not be any company left. Thorin himself knew that this was growing more dangerous, when suddenly, the rock began to move.

"Bless me! The legends are true! Giants! Stone giants!" Bofur gasped, marvelling at the thunder battle before him. One stone giant threw a massive rock at the other, the impact shaking the ground. A boulder collided into the cliff above them, making rocks tumble down, destroying the path and nearly knocking the company off as they fell.

Suddenly, the rock beneath Eve started to move, splitting between her feet.

Fili grabbed her hand, pulling her to one side of the gap, and turned to help his brother, but he was too far away, standing with half of the group on the other knee of the giant. He watched his brother move away from him in horror, as Kili shared the exact same expression. The giant they were standing on started moving towards the others, and the knee Kili, Thorin and some of the company was on, landed next to the path. They quickly jumped onto it, before turning to watch their comrades.

Fili held Eve's hand tightly, as the giant continued to move. One of the other giants hit their one, and it staggered backwards. Fili's eyes widened with shock as they moved towards the cliff-face. He heard his brother and uncle crying out as they crashed head-on into the cliff. He felt Eve's hand slip from his own on the impact, and clung to the rock around him as the giant moved away. Moments later, the rest of the company appeared round a corner, and Kili pulled him into a crushing hug. He saw his uncle sigh with relief as they checked if anyone was missing. They were two members short, both Bilbo and Eve were absent. They looked around for them, before noticing the little burglar, was in fact, dangling over the edge of the path.

"Bilbo!"

Bofur reached down for the Hobbit, but found he was unable to reach him. Dori tried as well, but none could reach him. Thorin jumped down onto a ledge to save the hobbit, but nearly fell himself in the process. He heaved Bilbo up, only to be saved by Dwalin.

"I thought we'd lost out Hobbit!" Bofur exclaimed, pulling Bilbo close to him.

"He's been lost ever since he left home!" Thorin declared, angrily.

They found a cave nearby, and half of the company went to check it out whilst the rest searched for Eve. Fili kept glancing at his brother, whose face was filled with worry. Looking into his eyes, Fili could see how much his brother cared for her. There was a shout from Ori, and the two turned to see him holding Eve's cloak, his eyes brimming with tears.

"It-it was caught on the side; she-she must have fallen." Kili went white, and Thorin demanded to see where Ori had found it. After a moment, he turned to them and shook his head. Kili stood, as rigid as a statue, looking into the darkness. Fili put his arm around him, and led him to the cave with the others.

* * *

The dwarfs wanted to start a fire, but were swiftly warned by Thorin that the cave was only for sleeping, as caves were seldom unoccupied in the mountains. They regretfully agreed; their moods dampened not only by the rain, but by the loss of the girl they had all grown so fond of. Kili sat staring at the wall, lost in thought. He hadn't got to tell her he loved her, and now he would never get the chance. She had been taken from him, and would never return. He put his head in his hands, wishing he could push all the pain away. He felt someone sit down next to him, and put an arm round his shoulder. Fili had always been there to comfort him, and the brothers sat together, lost in thought and misery.

* * *

Ugh. Eve raised a hand to her head and gave a small moan. There was a trickle of blood running down it, and she gently wiped it off, before sitting up slowly. Her whole body ached, and her head was spinning. She looked around, trying to see where she was. She had landed on a ledge; her pack was just a few feet away from her. Pushing her wet hair away from her face, Eve carefully got up, groaning as her body ached in indignation. She was only 8 metres from where the dwarves had thought she had fallen, but the rain and darkness had made it impossible to see her. She had rolled down the cliff, and landed on her side, hitting her head on a rock before losing consciousness. However, she didn't know the dwarves were so close, and began to panic. The ledge went a little way along the cliff, and, picking up her bag, she staggered along, holding onto the side for support. All of a sudden, the wall disappeared next to her, and opened into a passageway. Well, she thought, it's this or falling off the cliff. I'll probably die either way. She sat just inside the opening, her legs refusing to carry her any further. Her mind wandered to her companions, were they alright? The last she could remember was them crashing into the mountain, and the look on Kili's face. Oh god, she thought. Kili! Tears formed in her eyes at the thought of him. Whenever he had looked at her, or spoken to her, she had felt as though there were butterflies in her stomach. I probably won't see him again, she told herself. Resting her head on her knees, she let the tears roll down her face.

All of a sudden, there was a noise from inside the tunnel. She looked up, trying to see what it was, but the tunnel was too dark. She could hear someone, or something coming towards her, and two goblins appeared, their swords drawn. They noticed her, and ran towards her. She gasped in horror, trying to move away, but one of them grabbed her, the other getting her pack, and she was dragged into the depths of the dark tunnel. She struggled for a moment, but in vain. Something hit her over the head, and she lost consciousness.

**A/N Just a short update, I've had a bit of writers block, but hopefully this worked out. I have written and re-written this chapter 5 times, so I thought I might as well just post it! My friend gave me an idea for this, so with any luck I have done her ideas justice! **

**I'm hoping to update again soon! Any reviews, pm's, food and cream are welcome! XD **

**Thank you especially to likenone! That was the best review I have ever had! I really enjoyed reading it!**

**Thank you if you have followed, favourite or reviewed! ~Littlelots ^^**


	8. Chapter 8 Down, Down To Goblin Town

_Previously_

_All of a sudden, there was a noise from inside the tunnel. She looked up, trying to see what it was, but the tunnel was too dark. She could hear someone, or something coming towards her, and two goblins appeared, their swords drawn. They noticed her, and ran towards her. She gasped in horror, trying to move away, but one of them grabbed her, the other getting her pack, and she was dragged into the depths of the dark tunnel. She struggled for a moment, but in vain. Something hit her over the head, and she lost consciousness._

Chapter 8. Down, Down To Goblin Town

Most of the dwarves had fallen asleep, except Bofur who was on watch. The wind was still howling outside, the rain sweeping across the mountains. Bofur wrapped his cloak tighter around himself, the cave was freezing. A movement in a corner of the cave caught his eye, and he looked up to see Bilbo rolling up his bedding and stuffing it in his pack. He didn't say anything, but continued to watch the hobbit as he packed all his belongings away, which wasn't much, and shouldered his bag. It was only when the Halfling was tiptoeing past that Bofur spoke.

"Where do you think you are going?" The hobbit had obviously forgotten he was on watch for the night.

Bilbo looked at him sadly. "Back to Rivendell."

The dwarf looked at him in shock, getting up from his place on the floor.

"You can't turn back now? You're part of the company!" he insisted. "You're one of us!"

"But I'm not though, am I?" Bilbo sighed.

"Thorin said I should never have come…and he was right," Bilbo admitted, looking around at his sleeping friends. He turned back to Bofur, whose face was a mixture of sorrow and pity. "My true place is at Bag End; I don't know what I was thinking…I should never have run out of my door…"

"You're homesick," Bofur tried to persuade the hobbit. "I understand-"

"No you don't," Bilbo's voice became high with irritation. "No, you don't understand, and how could you? You're dwarves!" Bilbo gestured around the inside of the mountain. "Y-You're used to this kind of life, on the move, never sticking to one place or belonging anywhere!"

Bofur's face dropped; his eyes sad and pained, his shoulders slumped as he sat down again. Bilbo appeared to regret what he said, but it was too late to take it back.

"Alright, I'm sorry. I-I didn't-" he cleared his throat and looked at his feet.

Bofur nodded slowly, the ears of his hat flopping around, "No, you're right…" He turned to his kin that lay on the floor, Bombur's snores stirring them as they slept. "We don't belong anywhere," Bofur's voice was rough with grief and pity. He smiled at the hobbit sadly.

"I wish you all the luck in the world." Bofur laughed fondly and shook the hobbit's shoulder. "I really do."

Bofur's attention was suddenly caught by a faint light coming from the top of Bilbo's scabbard. A chill ran down his spine as he asked,

"Bilbo… what is that?" The hobbit looked down in surprise, quickly pulling out his 'letter-opener'. The blade was glowing blue. Bilbo's eyes widened and he looked up at the dwarf in horror. That confirmed Bofur's suspicions, and he turned to the sleeping company.

"WAKE UP! Everyone get up now!" Thorin jumped to his feet, wielding Orcrist. Unknown to Bilbo and Bofur, the dwarf king had heard the whole conversation. The others started to get up, just as the ground beneath them began to rumble. The cave floor collapsed, taking the dwarves with it, into the depths of the mountain.

* * *

Eve woke to the sound of a bolt being pushed into place. She raised a hand to her head; it felt like someone was pounding it with an anvil. Opening her eyes, she took in her surroundings. She was in a small cell carved out of the rock with a thick wooden door blocking the only exit. A torch flickered faintly, illuminating the dim room, and creating eerie shadows, but it was too high up for her to reach. She shivered, wrapping her arms tightly around herself, trying to get some warmth. Without her cloak, she was freezing. She looked around to see if her bag was there, but it must have been taking away when they captured her. _Not that I put up much of a fight_, she thought dryly. Resting her head against the wall, her mind wandered to her companions. _Where they alright? Were they even alive? _Tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought of them. She rested her chin on her knees, closing her eyes, trying to think of anything but her friends' death.

She jumped as the door to her prison banged open, and three goblins marched in. Eve backed away into a corner, trying to keep away from them, but they grabbed her wrists, dragging her out of the cell, which suddenly seemed a lot nicer than it had moments before. She was hit by a blast of heat and foul air that seemed to fill the huge chasm she was in. They forced her along some very unsafe looking bridges, heading to a platform that seemed to be suspended in the middle of the mountain. She looked around; the whole place was connected by bridges and ladders, some of which were swaying. A rope-pulley system connected several areas, and she did a double take when she saw a strange, deformed goblin speeding along in a bucket like thing. She was in a goblin town, she must be! There were thousands of the creatures, climbing around and sharpening weapons. She shivered, and a thought popped into her head.

_What happens at home, if I die here? _She didn't have much time to dwell on that though, nor did she want to. As they reached the platform, Eve noticed there was a throne in the middle, upon which sat possibly the foulest, most disgustingly vile creature in the whole of Middle-Earth. It was huge, fat and had such a large goitre it made Eve feel nauseous. Resting on its wispy white hair was a pointy crown. The goblins' holding Eve forced her to her knees, and she looked up at what she assumed was the Goblin King. He sneered down at her, making her cringe away in disgust. This resulted in a chorus of inhumane laughter, chilling Eve to the bone.

"What have we got here?" he asked, squinting at her. "A human! And a girl at that!" he smiled down at her, which was even more disturbing than his sneer.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my kingdom?" Eve remained silent, not wishing to tell him anything, as that would include her friends, and she would never betray them. The 'King' nodded to one of the goblins behind her, and she cried out as a whip lashed against her back. The goblin repeated the action three more times, and Eve managed to stay silent. Only just. More goblins had appeared by now, creating a ring around her, their 'King' and the goblin with the whip.

"I will ask again," said the Goblin King. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

Again she ignored the question, bracing herself for more lashes. The goblin behind her swung the whip five more times, and she didn't make a sound, even though her back felt like it was on fire. She sensed something wet running down her back, realising it must be her own blood. A wave of nausea passed over her, but she managed to hold it in. With a gulp, she looked back up at her interrogator. His eyes narrowed as he looked down at her.

"This is your last chance-" he began, but was interrupted by several screeches that were steadily getting louder.

* * *

The Goblin King looked up, as did Eve, to see the dwarves being shoved and dragged towards them. As the dwarves noticed her, their mouths dropped open in shock and amazement. She briefly glanced at each of them, before her eyes finally rested on the dark-haired dwarf she had grown to like so much. Kili's face lit up when he spotted her, and then changed into an expression of horror as he saw the injuries on her back. She grimaced, giving him a look that clearly said,

'_Why is it always me?'_

He opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by the Goblin King, who was sitting on his throne watching them.

"Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom?!" He demanded, as if he expected them to answer. He eyed them, enraged by their silence.

"Spies? Thieves? Assassins?!" The dwarves remained silent, constantly glancing at the girl they had thought dead. The Goblin King noticed this, looking between the dwarves and Eve.

"So, you know each other do you?" he cackled, an evil glint appearing in his eyes. "Let's do this the fun way." He added, nodding at the goblin holding the whip. Before any of the dwarves could react, it lashed at Eve, who bit her lip against the pain, tears forming in her eyes. The dwarves cried out in rage, pulling at the goblins who were restraining them. Eve was shaking her head, begging them not to give any information. Most of the dwarves stopped struggling, and watch the girl in dismay. Kili however, continued to fight against his captors, desperate to help her.

The Goblin King looked between Kili and Eve, who was shaking her head at the young dwarf, her face clouded with fear. The creature laughed, before pointing at the goblins holding Kili, and gesturing to have him brought forward. Thorin's eyes went wide as his nephew was dragged in front of the 'King'. The goblins pushed him into a kneeling position opposite Eve, so he was forced to look at her. His fear was mirrored in her eyes, and he realized he didn't know whether they would make it out alive. The goblin whipped Eve again, and Kili cried out in fury. Again and again the whip fell, finally earning a scream from the girl. The dwarves were shouting in anger, forced to watch and not be able to help. The goblin raised the whip once more, and Kili was worried she wouldn't be able to take another hit. However, Thorin stepped in between the goblin and its prey, having managed to wrestle himself from the grasp of his captor.

"Wait!" he shouted.

"And look who it is! Thorin son of Thrain, son of Thror. King under the mountain! Oh, but I'm forgetting you don't have a mountain...You're not a king. Which makes you… nobody really," The Goblin King did a mocking bow, before sneering at the dwarf.

"I know someone who would pay pretty price for your head. Just a head. Nothing attached… perhaps you know of whom I speak. An old enemy... A Pale Orc astride a White Warg?" The Goblin King questioned, eyebrows raised.

"Azog was slain in battle years ago," Thorin blurted out, as though he was trying to reassure himself. The Goblin King smiled cruelly, before turning to the deformed goblin on the pulley.

"Send word to the Pale Orc, tell him I have found his prize," His eyes wandered over to Eve, who was still kneeling and breathing deeply. "And maybe a present, courtesy of me!"

One of the goblins picked up Thorin's sword, but threw it aside, as if it burned him. The other goblins caught sight of the sword, and all drew back quickly, full of fear.

"The goblin cleaver! The blade that sliced a thousand necks!" The 'King' cowered into his throne.

"Kill them! Kill them all! But leave the girl! Bring her to me!" The Goblins grabbed Eve, who struggled against them, but she was in too much pain to resist. She watched on in horror as Thorin was pulled down, a goblin ready to cut off his head. As Kili and Fili cried out, the arena was flooded with white light, knocking everyone to the floor.

"Gandalf!"

"Take up arms, we fight!"

* * *

Kili grabbed his bow, quiver and sword, and went to help Eve. He picked her up in his arms, running to catch up with the other dwarves. Gandalf lead them forward through the caves, after they had retrieved their weapons from the floor, killing a multitude of goblins as they did so. The King was knocked back off the edge of the platform they had been standing on, and as soon as they were all armed, they started running.

Just as they were going past a small cave, Eve cried out, making Kili stop and look at her, worry appearing on his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked quickly, looking her up and down.

"Yes, it's just- my bag. It's just in there, please. I have something very precious to me." He nodded, setting her down for a moment so he could retrieve her bag. He was back a few seconds later, handing it to her as he picked her up.

The dwarves fought their way through the swarms of goblins, the blood starting to dry on their hands. As they made their way across a bridge, the Goblin King literally appeared out of nowhere.

"You thought you could escape me? What is your plan now, wizard?!"

Gandalf, completely fed up with goblins, slashed his sword across the Goblin's stomach.

"That'll do it…"

The Goblin King fell forward, which actually broke the bridge. The dwarfs were sent tumbling towards the ground, ironically, it was Bofur who was screaming the loudest. Eve clung to a pole, holding on for dear life, and noticed Fili beside her, in the same position. He gave her a reassuring smile, just as they crashed into the ground.

"Well, that could have been worse," Bofur exclaimed, his hat flopping over his face. However, their luck seemed to have run out, as the body of the Goblin King tumbled towards them, flattening them.

"YOU'VE GOT TO BE JOKING." Bofur shouted.

* * *

Eve dragged herself away from the bridge. She had been flung off as it hit the ground, adding to her countless other injuries. She leaned against a wall, trying to breathe normally. A shout caught her attention, and she looked up to see hundreds of goblins crawling down the rocks. Grabbing her bag, she stumbled towards Kili, who picked her up again, running with the others down yet another tunnel. Yet this one was different; at the end was daylight. They ran out into the bright sunshine, the wind blowing on their faces as they raced down the hill. When they reached a woody area, Gandalf stopped, and began counting to see if they were all there. Kili gently put Eve down, and Oin hurried over to inspect her back. Even though they had no medical supplies, he would at least be able to bind it. A shout from Gandalf made him turn around. The wizard was looking at each member of the company, searching for someone who wasn't there.

"Where is Bilbo? Where is our Hobbit?" he cried, turning to Thorin.

"He's deserted us. I heard him myself, he was planning to return to Rivendell. We will certainly not be seeing him again," Thorin boomed, sheathing his sword.

Not a moment later, Bilbo literally appeared out of nowhere.

"Bilbo!" They all called at once, running to greet him.

"How ever did you get past the goblins?" Fili asked, completely amazed.

"Yes. How indeed?" Dwalin narrowed his eyes at Bilbo, who had discreetly deposited the ring he had found into his pocket; an action that did not go unnoticed by Gandalf.

"Well, why does it matter? He's back!" Gandalf exclaimed, happy to see the small Hobbit safe.

"It matters," Thorin snapped back. "I want to know - why did you come back?"

Bilbo sighed. "Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have. And you're right... I often think of Bag End. I miss my books, and my armchair, and my garden. See, that's where I belong, that's home. That's why I came back... cause you don't have one; a home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can." Bilbo answered, smiling.

They were distracted by the sound of howling above them. Wargs.

"Out of the frying pan…" Gandalf began.

"And into the fire. Run!" Thorin yelled.

* * *

The dwarfs turned on their heels and ran as fast as they could. The Orcs were almost flying down the hill, due to the speed of the Wargs they rode on. Kili grabbed Eve and raced after the others.

"The trees!" Thorin shouted as they reached the edge of yet another cliff. _Stupid Middle-Earth and it's stupid cliffs,_ Eve muttered. The dwarfs scurried into different trees, all helping one another up. Eve managed to grab onto a branch, and was pulled up by Kili, and he climbed up to help her again. Eve gripped onto the trunk of the tree tightly, she hated heights. Within a few moments, all of the dwarfs and Bilbo were in the trees, and the Wargs jumped up against them, saliva foaming in their mouths as they looked at what they considered 'dinner'.

A large Pale Orc rode into the clearing, and Thorin stiffened.

"It cannot be…"

"Do you smell it? The scent of fear? Your father reeked of it… Thorin, son of Thrain. Thorin is mine. Kill the others!" Azog declared to his pack of Wargs, and they advanced on the trees.

The Wargs started to attack the trees, throwing themselves at it, jumping up, biting the trunks. Kili held onto Eve tightly, as their tree began to tip.

"We have to jump!" he shouted, grabbing her hand. As their tree collapsed, they jumped into the one next to it, which also began to fall. It caused a domino effect, and quite soon, all the company was in one tree on the edge of a cliff. Gandalf grabbed a pine cone from next to him, and lit it with his staff, before throwing it at the Wargs. He grabbed another, lighting it, and chucking it to Fili, who lit one of his own. They all started to chuck the pine cones at the Wargs, several of the creatures caught fire. Kili cheered in victory as the beasts were forced to retreat behind a wall of flames, but it was short lived. Their tree started to tilt backwards, and the company clung onto the branches as the tree slowly tipped over the edge of the cliff.

**A/N So, I'm going to leave it on a lovely cliff-hanger, in this case, quite literally!**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter, it's taken a while, but I wanted to get it out. I may not be able to update for some time, because I REALLY need to work on one of my other stories!**

**I'm also thinking of letting one of the dwarves fall, maybe Ori. I always wondered how the quest would be if a dwarf dies on the way….**

**Thank you so much for your lovely reviews, I'm sorry if I didn't reply! (I will catch up!)**

**Please tell me what you think; your opinions are so useful! And keep on bringing the cupcakes! (And creeeeeam!) ;) ~Littlelots ^.^ **


	9. Chapter 9 A Series Of Unexpected Events

_Previously_

_Gandalf grabbed a pine cone from next to him, and lit it with his staff, before throwing it at the Wargs. He grabbed another, lighting it, and chucking it to Fili, who lit one of his own. They all started to chuck the pine cones at the Wargs, several of the creatures caught fire. Kili cheered in victory as the beasts were forced to retreat behind a wall of flames, but it was short lived. Their tree started to tilt backwards, and the company clung onto the branches as the tree slowly tipped over the edge of the cliff._

Chapter 9. An Series Of Unexpected Events

Eve grasped her branch as tightly as she could. The effort caused her back to feel like it was on fire as her muscles strained to keep her from falling. It was like being in a nightmare, her feet hanging over the abyss, the smell of pinecones filling the air, along with smoke that clogged up her lungs. The Wargs were watching them hungrily, several rolling on their backs, trying to put out the flames on their fur. The heat from the blaze burned her skin; one of the branches quite close to her had caught fire. Smoke, fire. The memory came upon her like a dark cloud, taking her from reality.

* * *

"_Thanks Mr Burrows!" I shouted, climbing out of the little Mini Cooper, my archery equipment in a padded case, and the gleaming gold cup clutched in my hand. I waved goodbye, setting off down the track to my uncle's farm. I had been living with him since my parents had died; he had no other family, and had looked after me as if I was his own daughter. I was almost jumping with excitement. My final shot had landed dead centre of the target, beating my arch-enemy by one precious point. The competition had been for the district, and they would put my name forward for the national tournament. My uncle had won the national cup three times in a row, and I was desperate to follow in his footsteps._

_I neared the end of the track, smelling something strange. Wood, burning. Maybe my uncle has made a bonfire, I thought. He had been planning on cutting down the big yew tree near our house. As I turned a bend, I could see the farm up ahead. My archery case and trophy dropped to the ground. There were flames licking up the buildings walls, and part of the roof had tumbled down. I broke into a run, screaming my uncle's name as I got closer. I saw someone moving near our truck, and ran towards them. There was a fire-engine and an ambulance here already, and I recognised Mrs Millsby, our housekeeper, turning to face me. She held her arms out and I crashed into them, embracing her. _

"_Where's Uncle?" I asked, tears rolling down my cheeks. Smoke was pouring out of the house, catching in my lungs and making me cough. The housekeeper led me away, away from the flames, the smoke, and the sight. I struggled, trying to get towards the house, screaming for my uncle, but she was too strong. After a few moments, I stopped fighting her, becoming a dead weight and gazing at the dry earth. She lifted my chin upwards, so I was forced to look at her, and I saw that she was crying too._

"_Your uncle is inside; they have sent some men-" she broke off, as two fire-fighters appeared at the door, carrying a stretcher between them. I raced over, Mrs Millsby at my heels, stopping next to my uncle._

"_Uncle?" I asked, my voice wavering as I held back tears. His skin was red raw, covered in cuts and burns. His clothes were ragged, and the smell of burnt flesh made me feel sick. "Uncle!" I cried again, my shoulders beginning to shake. The paramedics took him into the ambulance, which quickly drove off, as the firemen continued to try and put out the house. I fell to my knees, my head in my hands, tears running down my face. The smoke was too much, the pain too excessive, and I swayed slightly, before collapsing to the ground as consciousness left me._

* * *

Kili hung on as best as he could. Eve was next to him, holding onto the tree as though it was her life-support, but there seemed to be something wrong with her.

"Eve?" He asked, gazing at her intently. She was looking around in panic, breathing too quickly. Kili moved towards her, instinct driving him as he climbed along the branch. All of a sudden, her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she let go. Kili tried to grab her, but her fingers slipped through his, and she plummeted towards the ground. He screamed her name, grabbing back onto his branch so he would not fall himself. When he looked down again, Eve had vanished, and Kili felt something break inside him, as though part of his soul had just been wrenched away. He stared at the ground below, shock filling every inch of him. She was gone, gone and never coming back. A tear rolled down his cheek, and he nearly fell from lack of concentration. His mind wandered, Eve saving them from the trolls, Eve getting hurt by the Warg, and when she was being whipped by that Orc. Each memory was like someone stabbing his heart, ridding his world of all joy and hope.

He started as he heard a cry of anger, and saw his uncle running towards Azog.

"No!" he called, struggling to climb onto the branch so he could help Thorin. He slipped, and nearly lost his grip altogether. Thorin ignored his companions. The company let out anguished cries as Thorin charged towards the Pale Orc. It was all looking so promising, but the entire company knew that Pale Orc was going to kill Thorin there and then. As Thorin let out a battle cry, his companions watched in horror as the White Warg knocked Thorin flat. He struggled, but managed to slice at the beast's head. Thorin stood up; swinging at the Orc, but Azog whacked him with his mace, sending him flying. The White Warg grabbed his uncle, shaking him like a doll, before throwing him towards the edge of the cliff. Another figure darted past Kili, and he looked up to see Bilbo wielding his 'letter opener'.

"Bring me the dwarf's head." Azog ordered, pointing at one of the Orcs. It marched over to where Thorin lay motionless, raising his sword to cut off his head. However, Bilbo jumped at it, stabbing it with his sword, before standing in front of Thorin, waving his blade in defence.

"I will use this if I have to!" The brave little hobbit shouted, glaring at his opponents.

A hand appeared next to Kili's face, and he looked up to see Fili, grinning at him.

"Need a hand there brother?" he asked, pulling his younger sibling up onto the branch. Kili glanced down at the ground, whispering goodbye to the girl who had become more than just a friend. Turning to his brother, they ran towards Bilbo, who was being charged by three Wargs, and attacked, protecting the hobbit and their leader. Azog, mouth gaping, watched the scene unfold before him. This couldn't be happening, he had been winning, and now he was going to lose.

A few of the other dwarfs were still stuck in the tree, such as Ori and Dori, were now beginning to lose grip on the staff that Gandalf had extended to them, and suddenly the pair of the dropped. As they fell into the abyss, an eagle appeared below them, catching the brothers safely.

The eagles swooped down, grabbing Wargs here and Orcs there, tossing them over the cliffs edge. One by one the dwarves were picked up by the giant feet of the magnificent birds, and flew through the morning sky at great speed. Thorin was carefully picked up in the claws of an eagle, his sword at his side. Swiftly they flew over peaks and gorges, the views spectacular. None of the dwarves were interested in the views though, they only thought of their leader, wondering if he was alive. Kili felt like he had been torn in two, Eve was gone and his Uncle seemed to be going that way too.

* * *

The eagles finally arrived at an eyrie, and gently deposited the dwarves on the rock. Thorin was lowered to the ground, and he lay there as still as a statue. Gandalf ran quickly to the unmoving dwarf and called out his name in concern, but no reply came. Slowly, he closed his eyes and held his hand over Thorin's face, muttering a healing spell under his breath. After a few moments, the dwarf opened his eyes.

"The Hobbit?" He rasped out.

"He is fine, Bilbo is fine" Gandalf reassured with a smile. Fili and Dwalin were beside him in moments, helping him stand up. His uncle moved towards the hobbit, his eyes ablaze.

"You, what were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed!" He snarled and Bilbo looked taken aback. "Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild. That you had no place amongst us?" He began, stepping forward, glaring at the Halfling. "… I have never been so wrong, in all my life!" He muttered and took Bilbo in his arms in a warm embrace. Shocked to say the least, Bilbo let his mouth drop open and he looked at the others in surprise. Thorin pulled away a few moments later and placed his hands on the hobbits shoulders. "I'm sorry I doubted you."

"No, I would have doubted me too. I'm not a hero or a warrior… not even a burglar" Bilbo answered and it caused Gandalf and Thorin to chuckle. The eagles began to depart from the rock, leaving the dwarves staring at them in wonder and thanks.

"Is that, what I think it is?" Bilbo exclaimed, and the company turned its attention toward what the Halfling was gazing at. Thorin could not believe it; he had to get closer just to make sure his eyes were not playing tricks on him. Walking up the pointed rock, limping slightly, he could not hold back the look of awe displayed on his face. A solitary peak rose in the distance, reaching above the clouds.

"Erebor!" Gandalf confirmed. Thorin smiled, turning to look at his nephews, but noticed Kili was kneeling on the ground, looking back the way they had come.

"Kili?" he called, running over to his nephew. Kili glanced up at him, before turning away, not wishing his uncle to see his pain. Fili appeared next to his brother, putting an arm around him, asking him what the matter was. When his brother remained silent, Fili looked up, searching the company for the one who meant so much to Kili. It was only then that they realised they were a member short.

"Where's Eve?" he choked, looking between the dwarves and his brother. "Where is she?!" Kili's shoulders began to shake slightly, and he mumbled something incomprehensible. Fili looked directly into his brothers eyes, and could see the raw anguish within them.

"She fell." Kili muttered, before standing up, and walking away from the group.

* * *

Fili watched his brother in horror, turning to his uncle, his eyes wide. Thorin's face was unreadable, so he scanned the others. Ori was crying quietly, Bofur was sitting on the floor in shock and Bilbo was looking between them and the horizon, his mouth wide open. The others were similarly affected, but they had not been as close with the girl. Silence fell amongst them, each too preoccupied with their own thoughts. Bilbo walked over to Fili, his eyes cast to the ground.

"Is he certain? Maybe it's a misunderstanding…" he broke off, pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket to blow his nose. Fili shook his head.

"She was next to him. He'll know better than anyone else. Plus I heard him shouting her name when we were hanging onto the tree." He let out a shaky breath, turning to look towards the mountains they had just escaped.

A black dot was coming towards them, and he stared at it in surprise. As it came closer, he could tell it was the shape of a bird, and a big one at that.

"Bilbo…" He began, catching the hobbits attention. They both watched as it flew closer, it was another eagle. Yet this eagle was different from the ones they had been rescued by, its feathers were jet black, and its beak was as golden as the sun, as were its claws. Several of the other dwarves had seen it too, and were pointing at it, crying out in surprise. As it glided past, looking for a place to land, Fili noticed something on its back, someone he had been made to believe he would never see again. But that someone wasn't alone.

**A/N Did you really think I'd kill Ori? Who could? He's way too sweet! **

**No, instead I am introducing another character, but are they good or evil? You will have to wait to find out! Mwahahahaha!**

**Please leave a review and tell me what you think!**

**Also, should I continue with the book version, or wait till the film comes out? Needing opinions here guys!**

**Any food is welcome! ;) ~Littlelots ^.^**


	10. Chapter 10 Look On The Bright Side

**Disclaimer~ I do not own The Hobbit (sadly) I only own what you don't recognise! The Song is by Eric Idle/Monty Python! :D**

**If you read this before the 19/03/2013, you might want to read it again. I had to change a few parts, because it didn't work with my plot! Enjoy!**

_Previously_

_A black dot was coming towards them, and he stared at it in surprise. As it came closer, he could tell it was the shape of a bird, and a big one at that._

"_Bilbo…" He began, catching the hobbits attention. They both watched as it came closer, it was another eagle. Yet this eagle was different from the ones they had been rescued by, its feathers were jet black, and its beak was as golden as the sun, as were its claws. Several of the other dwarves had seen it too, and were pointing at it, crying out in surprise. As it glided past, looking for a place to land, Fili noticed something on its back, someone he had been made to believe he would never see again. But that someone wasn't alone._

Chapter 10. Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life

The Eagle circled the Eyrie one more time, before landing where Thorin had lain not long before. It tucked its glossy black feathers in, before allowing its rider to descent. The dwarves kept their hands on their weapons, suspicious of the newcomer. The hooded figure slid down the eagle's back, before turning, and picking Eve up carefully. Fili looked at her sadly; her skin was a pale as a ghost, and she seemed to be unconscious. Someone ran up next to him, and Fili saw messy brown hair as his brother sprinted towards Eve. His uncle reached a hand out, grabbing the back of Kili's cloak, not letting him get any closer.

The hooded person walked towards them, Eve in their arms, and gently laid her down a few metres in front of the dwarves. Her rescuer then turned to Gandalf, doing a strange little gesture. The wizard repeated it, a smile slowly appearing on his face.

"Glass nín le achened, Manen se?" he asked the newcomer.

"Dae lhaew, pul-man dulu enni?" replied the hooded person's, shoulders drooping, and they let out a little sigh.

"Maer." The wizard replied, nodding his head.

"Le hannon." The other replied, grasping his hands gratefully, before turning to the company, who were watching the two converse. Thorin's face was like thunder.

"An Elf?" he asked, non-too politely. Several of the dwarves behind him fidgeted restlessly. In reply, the person raised her arms up, gently lifting off her hood, revealing long black hair tumbling down her shoulders, the pointed tips of her ears peeking through her tresses, her eyes as green as the emeralds that filled Erebor's treasure chambers.

"Greetings, Thorin Oakenshield. It is an honour to finally meet you." She replied, her voice had a slight lilt to it, and a small smile was playing on her lips. "My name is Tiriel." Several of the dwarves were looking past her, watching their friend. She turned to Gandalf, who was examining Eve, and whispered, "Perhaps you should take her somewhere more private, Mithrandir?" Gandalf nodded, carefully picking the girl up, and carrying her down some steps roughly hewn from the rock. Kili watched her go, pain flickering through him like fire. "Now, if you will excuse me, my skills are required." The Elf continued, bowing slightly to the dwarves. Tiriel turned to her eagle, grasping Eve's pack, and headed after the wizard. Kili made to move towards the group, but she glared at him, shaking her head, before ducking out of sight behind the craggy top.

* * *

The dwarves stayed where they were, not daring to go and find out what was happening. None of them wanted to come before an angry Elf and a Wizard. Kili sat next to his brother at the edge on the Carrock, his legs dangling over the edge of the rock. He looked into the distance, admiring the view, or at least, pretending to. His mind constantly wandered to Eve, and the pain in his chest grew. He had never felt like this before, every time he saw her in pain, it was like someone stabbing him repeatedly. An arm appeared round his shoulder, and he looked up to see Fili, smiling at him sadly.

"She'll be alright Kee." He said, giving his brother a hug. "She's stronger than you think." Kili let out a sigh, resting his head on his brother's shoulder.

"I know Fee, I just- if I could have taken her place in the mountains-" Fili turned to him, his sorrow immediately changing to frustration.

"Kili! Stop brooding over the past, for Mahal's sake! There is nothing you can do to change it, so stop trying to blame yourself." Kili shook his head, resting his chin on his hands.

"I've lost her twice Fee, twice in one day. I can't lose her again." Fili stood up, causing his brother to look at him.

"You won't. Just... stop worrying. Now, let's see if there's any food to be had, and what the plan is. Come on Kee." He held out his hand to help his brother up. Kili paused; his eyes filled with pain, but reluctantly let Fili help him up. They walked over to where the rest of the group was resting in the middle of the rocky ledge, and sat down next to Bofur, who was playing his flute, which he had hidden in his boot when they were captured. When Kili recognised the tune, he rolled his eyes at the aptness. Fili nudged him, a grin appearing on his face, and after a few moments, the young princes began to sing.

_Some things in life are bad_

_They can really make you mad_

_Other things just make you swear and curse._

_When you're chewing on life's gristle_

_Don't grumble, give a whistle_

_And this'll help things turn out for the best..._

_And... always look on the bright side of life..._

_Always look on the light side of life..._

_If life seems jolly rotten_

_There's something you've forgotten_

_And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing._

_When you're feeling in the dumps_

_Don't be silly chumps_

_Just purse your lips and whistle - that's the thing._

_And...always look on the bright side of life..._

_Always look on the light side of life..._

* * *

Tiriel knelt down next to the girl. She noticed the bracelet on the girl's wrist, the stone glowing a bright blue. _This must be the one Lady Galadriel spoke of_, she thought, her finger gently sliding over the jewel. She let out a shaky breath, turning to the wizard, who was watching her curiously.

"What can we do?" the Elf asked, rolling Eve onto her front so they could examine her back. Gandalf shook his head, a frown appearing on his face.

"Healing spells are not my area of expertise. I was hoping you would know more than I." He told her. Tiriel bit her lip, gently moving the material away from the girl's back, so she could see how bad her wounds were. She inhaled sharply as she saw the dried blood already creating brown scabs over the lashes from the whip.

"Mithrandir, what happened?" she gasped, pouring some water on the girl's back to wash away the blood and dirt. Grabbing a cloth, she gently cleaned the wound, applying a special elven mixture to help with the healing, and constantly eyeing at the wizard until he began to speak.

"I wasn't with them in the mountains. I only found them when I came into the goblin town. From what I can tell, they were whipping her for information. That is all I know, I'm afraid." The Elf nodded, gently binding the girl's back. When she was finished, she carefully rolled Eve over, and turned to Gandalf.

"You're best with awakening spells." She told him, moving away from Eve so the wizard could get close enough. He went over to her, holding his hand over her face, and muttering the same spell he had used to awaken Thorin. Eve's eyelids fluttered and she raised a hand to her forehead before opening her eyes fully.

"Where am I? Wh-what happened?" she mumbled, trying to sit up. Tiriel was by her side in seconds, gently helping her into a sitting position. Eve looked at the Elf in surprise. "Wh-who are you? Where are the dwarves?" She noticed Gandalf, and her face broke into a smile. "Gandalf!" The wizard smiled at her, and she turned back to the Elf, looking at her strangely.

"My name is Tiriel, I caught you as you fell from the tree." The Elf said, smiling.

"Thank you." Eve said gratefully, biting her lip. "And the dwarves? What about Bilbo?"

"Your friends are quite well." Eve sighed in relief, her shoulders relaxing. She started to get up, but Tiriel quickly pushed her down again. "Do not exert yourself, you need rest." Eve tried to protest, begging to see her friends, when she caught sight of her pack. Tiriel watched her as she seemed to do some quick thinking; Elves were very good at reading emotions.

"May I check my pack? I need to make sure nothing is missing." The Elf watched her suspiciously, but handed her the bag all the same. Eve searched through it, before pulling a box out from the bottom. She opened it, obscuring the contents from the Elf. Taking something out, she lifted it to her mouth. Tiriel's eyes narrowed as she recognised the vial, watching cautiously as three drops of amber liquid fell into the girl's mouth. Eve replaced the stopper, and put the bottle back in the box before smiling at the Elf.

"It's alright, it's a healing potion. Lady Arwen gave it to me when I was in Rivendell." She explained. "I see… it is curious she should give you such a rare gift…" she murmured. She shook her head, she would think about it later. She quickly checked Eve's back, the potion had already sealed the skin. "Let's get you back to your friends, that remedy is working now."

* * *

_Life's a piece of shit_

_When you look at it_

_Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true._

_You'll see it's all a show_

_Keep 'em laughing as you go_

_Just remember that the last laugh is on you._

_And always look on the bright side of life..._

_Always look on the right side of_- they broke off as they saw three people coming up the rocky stairs.

"EVE!" Several of the dwarves shouted. Bofur stopped playing his flute, and jumped up to greet her.

"How are you? Is your back really painful? Who is the Elf? Do you know her?" The dwarves bombarded her with questions, and she laughed loudly.

"I'm fine, yes my back hurts a little, and no, I didn't know Tiriel, not before today." Kili ran towards her, giving her a hug, though surprisingly he managed to avoid touching her back. His face was serious as he looked at her, a strange emotion in his eyes that she couldn't quite place.

"Are you ok?" he asked her quietly, ignoring the snickers from the dwarves. She nodded, smiling at him. "You sure?" he persisted, looking her up and down. She giggled, pushing him away.

"I'm _fine_ Kili!" Honest!" he watched her hug the other members, before looking at the Elf who had saved her. Tiriel was watching Eve, a curious expression on her face, and she kept glancing at Gandalf. He frowned, wondering why the Elf was acting like this. Tiriel looked at him, her face becoming a mask to her emotions. She walked over to her eagle, which put its head towards her, letting the Elf stroke its feathers.

* * *

Fili went over to her, looking at the eagle in admiration. Tiriel watched him approach, a slight frown on her forehead. She was taller than him, something he found quite strange, but he ignored the height differences, and the fact that she was an Elf, and smiled at her.

"Thank you." He said gratefully, looking towards the company, who were all talking happily with Eve, and kept giving her hugs. She nodded her head at him.

"You have nothing to thank me for." She replied, a small smile appearing on her face. Her green eyes sparkled, there was something, almost, fascinating about them and Fili looked away, a slight reddish tinge on his cheeks.

"I am sorry my uncle spoke to you so… disrespectfully." He mumbled, embarrassed at the dwarf king's treatment of her. She laughed lightly, glancing at Thorin.

"I was expecting nothing less; I know dwarves and elves do not usually mix." She replied, her face void of any expression. Fili looked at the black eagle next to him in awe.

"Where did you find him? Is he yours?" he asked, hoping to not offend. She smiled, looking up at the giant bird.

"His name is Dûrion, I rescued him many years ago, and now he is my loyal ally." The dwarf nodded, cautiously reaching out a hand to stroke its feathers. Tiriel watched him, that smile still gracing her features. Fili's fingers gently brushed against Dûrion's feathers, and he smiled at the silkiness of them. Tiriel raised her eyebrows.

"He hasn't tried to kill you yet, so that's a good thing." she said, grinning good-humouredly at him. A shout from behind them made Fili turn around, and he saw his uncle glaring at him, motioning for him to return to the group. He looked back at the elf, smiling apologetically.

"Excuse me, Milady." He started to walk towards the group, but Tiriel called him back.

"You never told me your name, master dwarf." She said, tilting her head slightly. He grinned, his eyes crinkling in the corners.

"Fili, at your service." He told her, bowing politely. She nodded at him, and Fili reluctantly made his way back to the company.

* * *

**A/N Sorry about the late update, I was having a LOT of trouble writing this, and I wanted it to sound as reasonable as possible! XD**

**My mystery character is revealed! It took me soooooooooooooooooo long to work her in! **

**I literally spent 2 _hours_ writing a _timeline_, just a timeline! And then another few hours writing this chapter! *my brain has died* **

**I HAD to have Always Look on the Bright Side of Life! (My brother _hates_ it, so I sing it a lot to annoy him!) Plus, I needed something cheerful!**

**Elvish meanings~**

**Glass nín le achened, Manen se? – It is my joy to see you again, how is she?**

**Dae lhaew, pul-man dulu enni? – Very ill, can you help me? - Very loosely translated I'm afraid!**

**Maer. – Yes**

**Le hannon. – Thank you**

**Tiriel means watchful, you will realise the importance of this further on! ;) Dûrion means dark** **one. **

**Please Review! I really need to know what you think of this! And any food is welcome! ~Littlelots ^.^**


	11. Chapter 11 Thanks For That Brother

**IMPORTANT NOTE! I had to slightly edit Chapter 10 to make this work, so if you read it before the 19/03/2013 then you might want to re-read it! Thank you! ~Littlelots ^.^**

_Previously _

_Fili's fingers gently brushed against Dûrion's feathers, and he smiled at the silkiness of them. Tiriel raised her eyebrows._

_"He hasn't tried to kill you yet, so that's a good thing." she said, grinning good-humouredly at him. A shout from behind them made Fili turn around, and he saw his uncle glaring at him, motioning for him to return to the group. He looked back at the elf, smiling apologetically._

_"Excuse me, Milady." He started to walk towards the group, but Tiriel called him back._

_"You never told me your name, master dwarf." She said, tilting her head slightly. He grinned, his eyes crinkling in the corners._

_"Fili, at your service." He told her, bowing politely. She nodded at him, and Fili reluctantly made his way back to the company._

Chapter 11. Thanks For That, Brother

Eve noticed Thorin walk over to Gandalf, a determined air surrounding him. He kept glancing at Tiriel, who was watching the group. Feeling a tap on her shoulder, Eve spun round, to see Kili smiling at her. They stood there for a few moments, gazing into each other's eyes, until a snigger from Bofur brought them back to reality. Eve pouted at the dwarf, making him burst out laughing, his hat flopping on his head. Sighing, she turned away from the dwarf, her hand slipping into Kili's. Luckily Thorin was on the other side of the Carrock, and didn't notice the actions of his nephew or the human. She caught Kili's smile as he squeezed her hand in his, causing her to blush. He slowly pulled her away from the mass of dwarves, and his uncle's sight, and they crept down the stairs till they were completely hidden from view. Eve noticed Tiriel watching them leave, but the Elf remained silent and did not draw attention to them.

"Kili?" Eve asked cautiously, looking at the dwarf who was leading her away. He stopped and turned to her, his brown eyes meeting hers. He took a step towards her, he was so close that they were almost touching, and he rested his forehead against hers.

"Yes?" he replied softly, his hand still around her own. She stared at him for a moment, her eyes instinctively moving to look at his lips, and then back to his eyes. He smirked, his free hand slowly moving to her waist. Eve felt her heartbeat quicken, something she had never before experienced. Kili let go of her hand, his fingers caressing her cheek as he leaned forwards-

"Kili!" They pulled away from each other as fast as lightning. Kili cursed in Khuzdul as Fili appeared round a corner, stopping as he saw the couple standing awkwardly, his mouth forming a comical O. He coughed, his face heating up, and he quickly relayed his message.

"Uncle is looking for you…" he muttered, avoiding his brother's furious gaze. Kili strode off towards the group, brushing past his brother, leaving a red-faced Fili and a very embarrassed Eve behind him. Eve turned away, not able to look at him, and felt her eyes fill with tears. Fili sighed, and headed off after his brother, leaving Eve alone to her thoughts.

* * *

Kili stomped up the stairs to where his uncle was waiting. He wanted to strangle Fili! Couldn't he have waited one more minute before interrupting?! On the other hand, Eve hadn't resisted, or made him stop… maybe she felt the same way? With these thoughts flying round his head, he climbed up the last step, and walked towards the company, an angry aura surrounding him. Thorin looked up as he approached, and scrutinized him, as though trying to perceive the reason for his mood. Fili appeared behind him, his face still a little red, causing Thorin's suspicion to deepen. When the brothers reached the group, Thorin continued with his speech.

"Gandalf has… requested that we accept the company of the Elf. I do not agree with this, but he remains adamant." Thorin appeared calm, but the fury in his voice was evident. He glared at the wizard, who seemed completely indifferent. Tiriel was watching them from a distance; she didn't really want to join them, not if they were going to remain hostile towards her. Unfortunately she owed Gandalf a debt, which he had kindly called in. Kili looked behind him, Eve still hadn't appeared, and he felt guilt flow through him. He was going to kill his stupid brother the moment he got the chance. Fili was just a few feet away, not meeting his brother's glare; instead he stared at his feet. Kili felt some of his fury evaporate, not all, but some.

"We will leave immediately and head for this 'Beorn'. Gandalf believes he will help us." And with that, Thorin turned and started walking down the steps. Kili stayed where he was, waiting for the rest of the dwarves to pass, before following.

* * *

Eve dried her eyes and sat down on the edge of a step, her legs dangling over the side. She gazed into the distance, looking at the setting sun. It reminded her of another scene, the beginning of her adventure. However, she had Katie with her then, now she was alone. Her fingers found their way to the bracelet, the bracelet that had changed everything. If she hadn't opened the casket, if she hadn't been so curious, she wouldn't be here.

_Curiosity killed the cat;_ she quoted, gazing up at the sky. The golden sun cast a pinkish tinge on the surrounding clouds, contrasting against the leafy green of the forest below. A thrush flew past her, heading towards the lonely mountain. It stood resolute, standing out from the rest of the scenery, its tip surrounded by mist. _Dwarves and their lust for gold_, she thought sadly. She heard footsteps stomping down behind her, and a gruff voice asked,

"Why were you not with the group?" Eve didn't need to turn to find out who it was, and she replied softly,

"I came for some quiet. I wanted to be alone." She stressed the last few words, trying to make Thorin realise. Apparently he got the hint, as he started walking away.

"We're leaving." Was the last thing he told her, before the other dwarves arrived, and he continued down the stairs. The steps were huge, not hewn from the rock for a regular man; even Gandalf was finding them a bit big for his liking. It was worse for the dwarves and poor little Bilbo was having a lot of trouble. Each step he worried about falling, though the Elf was close and helped him when he needed it.

Eve waited for them all to pass, sitting quietly on the edge. A hand touched her shoulder, and she looked up to see Kili standing behind her, a small smile on his face, and her bag in his hand. She thanked him gratefully, swinging it over her shoulder as she began to follow them. Fili was near the front of the group, it was very rare that the brothers were not together, and Eve was worried that she was the cause of this, or partly. They continued climbing downwards, Kili often turning to help her if he believed a drop to be too far, not that they ever were.

* * *

Fili watched his brother help Eve jump down the last step, and smiled when his brother caught her in his arms. The pair looked around quickly, checking to see if anyone had noticed, and Fili averted his gaze, not wishing to embarrass them further. Fili turned, walking towards his uncle, who was discussing something with Dwalin and Balin. As he passed Bofur, the dwarf reached out a hand and pulled him aside. Frowning at his friend, Fili asked him what was going on. Looking around, Bofur whispered,

"Well? Did they kiss?" He was grinning from ear to ear, watching Fili intently. Fili felt his eyes widen, and his cheeks flared up again.

"No." he replied, awkwardly turning away from the dwarf. Bofur sighed loudly behind him, and Fili could hear him muttering about them getting on with it. The dwarf prince quickly headed over to his uncle, not wanting to discuss his brother's relationship any further.

* * *

Eve walked over to Tiriel, who was standing nervously at the edge of the group. Dûrion had flown off earlier, woods being difficult for a giant eagle to travel in. Eve knew that if Tiriel called however, Dûrion would immediately come to her aid. She smiled warmly at the Elf, having no grudge against her, and Tiriel smiled back, looking relieved at being accepted by someone. Bilbo ran over, he found elves intriguing, and their stories fascinating.

"I don't think I said thank you." Eve told her, as she sat down next to the Elf. Tiriel glanced at her.

"I help others freely; do not think I hold you to a debt." Eve shook her head.

"No, I didn't think that, it never even crossed my mind." Eve admitted, grinning. Bilbo sat down on the other side of the Elf, looking up at her in awe.

"Lady Tiriel? Would you tell me a tale of the Elves?" he asked, his eyes alit with curiosity. Tiriel beamed at him, she loved speaking of her people, whether the dwarves liked it or not.

"Is there a particular story you wish me to tell you of Master Baggins?" Bilbo shook his head.

"I love them all, and would gladly listen to any." He answered, resting his chin on his hands. The Elf gave a tinkling laugh, capturing the attention of several nearby dwarves, and began to tell a tale.

"_Ëarendil was a mariner_

_That tarried in Avernien;_

_He built a boat of timber felled_

_In Nimbrethil to journey in;_

_Her sails he wove of silver fair,_

_Of silver were her lanterns made,_

_Her prow was fashioned like a swan,_

_And light upon her banners laid._

_In panoply of ancient kings,_

_In chained rings he armoured him;_

_His shining shield was scored with runes_

_To ward all wounds and harm from him;_

_His bow was made of dragon-horn,_

_His arrows shorn of ebony,_

_Of silver was his habergeon,_

_His scabbard of chalcedony;_

_His sword of steel was valiant,_

_Of adamant his helmet tall,_

_An eagle plume upon his crest,_

_Upon his breast an emerald._

_Beneath the Moon and under star_

_He wandered far from northern strands,_

_Bewildered on enchanted ways_

_Beyond the days of mortal lands._

_From gnashing of the Narrow Ice_

_Where shadow lies on frozen hills,_

_From nether heats nor burning waste_

_He turned in haste, and roving still_

_On starless waters far astray_

_At last he came to Night of Naught,_

_And passed, and never sight he saw_

_Of shining shore, nor light he sought._

_The winds of wrath came driving him,_

_And blindly in the foam he fled_

_From west to east and errandless,_

_Unheralded he homeward sped._

_There flying Elwing came to him,_

_And flame was in the darkness lit;_

_More bright than light of diamond_

_The fire upon her carcanet._

_The Silmaril she bound on him_

_And crowned him with the living light_

_And dauntless then with burning brow_

_He turned his prow; and in the night_

_From Otherworld beyond the Sea_

_There strong and free a storm arose,_

_A wind of power in Tarmenel;_

_By paths that seldom mortal goes_

_His boat it bore with biting breath_

_As might of death across the grey_

_And long-forsaken seas distressed:_

_From east to west he passed away." _Tiriel stopped as she noticed several of the dwarves watching her with disapproval. Bofur however, had come and joined them, being a storyteller himself. Fili and Kili had edged closer, and Ori was listening enraptured.

She bowed her head, remaining silent. Gandalf looked at her sadly, frowning at Thorin with censure.

"You tell of your own people, why can she not speak of hers?" he asked the dwarf king. Thorin ignored his comment, moving to another part of the glade with several of the dwarves. Ori's face fell when Tiriel said she would speak no more of Ëarendil, and he closed his notebook with a bang, making several of the dwarves around him jump. Bofur patted him on the back reassuringly.

"Don't worry about it laddie, I'm sure you'll hear the rest soon enough." Ori nodded, getting up to join his brothers. Eve lay down on the grass, looking up at the fragments of sky she could see through the leafy canopy. Her view was blocked however, by the face of Kili, who grinned at her mischievously. She watched him with apprehension, as he sat next to her. After eyeing him for a few moments, she looked back up at the sky. Kili seized his chance, and began to tickle her mercilessly.

She screamed in protest, catching the others attention, who watched the pair laughing. Even Tiriel found it hard to hide her smile. The one person who wasn't amused, was Thorin. He watched them, his face hardening, as he saw the friendship he had been so against, grow into something he was even more afraid of.

**A/N Sorry about the lateness of this chapter, I honestly am!**

**I have an interview for college coming up, and my workload has doubled, leaving very little time for writing! **

**Poor Kili and Eve don't get their moment… yet! :P**

**I hope you enjoyed it, I really wanted to include the whole song of Ëarendil, but I thought it might get too long, and it was a good place to break it off!**

**If you are interested, go on my profile for some pictures of Eve's outfits and also a picture of the mysterious bracelet! Let me know what you think of them!**

**Please review, every review is like a nice cup of tea, and often helps with inspiration! ~Littlelots ^.^ **


	12. Chapter 12 A Kingly Controversy

**Thank you everyone who has reviewed! Your comments always put a goofy smile on my face! XD ~Littlelots**

_Previously_

_Eve lay down on the grass, looking up at the fragments of sky she could see through the leafy canopy. Her view was blocked however, by the face of Kili, who grinned at her mischievously. She watched him with apprehension, as he sat next to her. After eyeing him for a few moments, she looked back up at the sky. Kili seized his chance, and began to tickle her mercilessly. _

_She screamed in protest, catching the others attention, who watched the pair laughing. Even Tiriel found it hard to hide her smile. The one person who wasn't amused, was Thorin. He watched them, his face hardening, as he saw the friendship he had been so against, grow into something he was even more afraid of._

Chapter 12. A Kingly Controversy

Eve lay on her back, breathing heavily. Kili had finally stopped tickling her, and was rolling around on the grass laughing his head off. Stupid hot dwarf, she thought. Bilbo stood up beside her, offering her a hand.

"Thanks." She said, gratefully pulling herself up. Several of the dwarves who had been watching the fun were still smirking, and Bofur was playing a merry tune on his flute. Eve glanced around the glade, there were little flowers carpeting the lush green grass, and the thick trunks of the bordering trees made it quite sheltered. She wasn't the only one who had noticed this, or the fact that it was starting to get dark. Thorin was observing their surroundings, and after a moment he spoke.

"We will camp here for tonight. Tomorrow we shall head to this friend of yours Gandalf." The wizard looked slightly awkward at that assessment, but didn't comment on it. Eve walked over to where Ori was sitting by the fire with his brothers, and sat down next to him with a smile.

"Hey Ori? Would you mind showing me some of your drawings?" she asked politely, her blue eyes watching him beseechingly. He peeked at her from behind his notebook, seeing her expression. His eyes softened and he nodded, giving her a little smile as he scanned his book looking for a suitable picture. She grinned, delighted by her victory, before catching the look on Kili's face. He looked bemused, no, annoyed? She tilted her head, looking at him with arched eyebrows. Why should he be bothered? She wondered. She felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned to see Ori displaying a picture of her. They were in Rivendell, in the hall the dwarves had been resting in. Kili was seated on her right and Fili on her left, with Bilbo listening intently to whatever she had been saying. She looked at the sketch of herself. Her face was caught in a smile, her cheeks appeared a little rosy, and her eyes were sparkling. The detail put on her dress was impeccable, but it was the expression on Kili's face that caught her attention. It was… adoration. Ori had captured it to perfection, and Eve found herself surprised she hadn't seen it. Also in the picture, Fili was watching his brother, a strange, nervous expression on his face. Eve looked up at Ori, tears forming in her eyes.

"It's beautiful!" she exclaimed, capturing the attention of most of the dwarves (for the second time that evening). "Your drawings are incredible!" she gave him a hug, causing the dwarf to blush, and Kili's expression to darken slightly. Ori smiled nervously at her, showing Eve some of the other pictures he had done, the tips of his ears still red.

* * *

Fili looked sideways at his brother; Kili was watching Eve and Ori talk with a brooding expression on his face. Fili sighed, Kili had always been the jealous type, but this was ridiculous. The blond-haired dwarf stood up, and marched over to where his brother sat. Kili watched him approach, his gaze hardening as he thought of events from earlier that day. Fili held out his hand, silently asking his brother to come with him. Kili glared at him, then his hand, then back at him. Fili sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly at the hostility from his younger sibling. It was rare that Kili ever treated him like this, and the fact that it was over a girl- Kili stood up, interrupting Fili's thoughts, and marched off into the wood behind him. Feeling apprehension seep through his bones, Fili followed.

* * *

Kili was standing, waiting for his brother by a large oak tree. He leaned against it, trying to push away the anger that he felt at his brother. He knew, deep down, that Fili hadn't meant it, but he wasn't going to admit it. Fili approached; an apologetic expression on his face.

"Kili, I didn't mean-"

"Don't bother Fili." He replied, clenching his fists. "I know you don't approve anyway. Why should you care?" Fili looked taken aback, his mouth opening and closing like a goldfish.

"Don't approve? Don't care? What are you talking about?" Kili glared at him, seething.

"You told me not to do anything rash, you told her not to return my feelings, tell me brother, what have you done to help me?" Fili's eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to defend himself, but Kili continued. "Save it, it doesn't matter." Fili's jaw set, his brow darkening.

"You listen to me now brother. I never meant to do anything to make you unhappy." Kili snorted, but his brother carried on. "If you remember we know little to nothing about her, I wanted to make sure you didn't get hurt. Besides, I was warning you against Thorin's disapproval, I never said anything about my own." Kili scrutinised him suspiciously.

"I really am sorry Kee." Fili concluded, looking down at his sighed, looking at his older brother regretfully. He hadn't realised how it had affected his brother, who could barely meet his gaze without looking away in shame. And when he really thought about it, Fili had not done anything wrong. Quite the contrary.

"I'm sorry too Fee." He mumbled, before giving his brother a crushing hug. To be honest, Kili was relieved to be on good terms with Fili again, and was just opening his mouth to tell him this, when the sound of raised voices drifted towards them. They could hear their uncle shouting, and, curious as ever, the two heirs quietly (which is unusual for dwarves) made their way towards the source of the din.

* * *

Eve knelt down on the mossy earth, and carefully picked some of the daisies which littered the forest floor, making sure she kept the stems nice and long. When she had about twenty of the little flowers, she began making them into a chain, weaving the stalks together. She almost didn't notice Thorin walking over to her, a determined scowl set on his face. Eve glanced up when he was right in front of her, surprised at his expression.

"We need to talk." He said, in such a tone that one would not dare refuse. She blinked at him, startled.

"Ok…" she replied, getting to her feet. He led her away from the group, unknowingly walking towards where his nephews had been arguing. When they were out of earshot from most of the company, he turned to her, his anger barely under control.

"Are you determined to make my nephew fall in love with you?" he demanded, his cold blue eyes boring into her own. Eve stared at him in shock, her eyes wide and her mouth ajar. "Well?" he shouted, and Eve tried to stammer an answer but nothing came out. She backed away from him, all colour gone from her face, and found herself standing against a tree. He took a few steps towards her, stopping when he was only a few feet away.

"I'm not-you don't-I love Kili!" she replied, wrapping her arms across her chest to stop herself from shaking. Thorin continued to glare at her, as if she was a bit of dirt under his boot, worthless and unnecessary. Neither of them realised they had drawn the attention of the two younger heirs of Durin, who were hiding not far away, listening intently to every single word.

"Please, I'm telling the truth, I love your nephew! I would never do anything, ANYTHING to hurt him." Eve begged, her blue eyes filling with tears. Thorin watched her, his face hard.

"Dwarves only love once. I will not allow my nephew to be with a human. It would be the height of dishonour for a prince. Do you wish to subject him to that?" Eve looked away, tears pouring down her cheeks. "You are not allowed to speak with him, and you must stay away from him for the rest of the journey. When we reach this Beorn's house, you will stay there. If you dare go against me on this-" He broke off, turning round to see his two nephews approach. One look at their faces told him they had heard, and he growled angrily.

"Go back to the camp." He ordered, knowing they would refuse. Kili and Fili stood side by side, their eyes aflame as they looked at their uncle. Kili glanced at Eve, who had slid down the tree trunk and had her head resting on her knees. Her shoulders were shaking, and Kili knew she was crying. He made to go to her, but found himself blocked by Thorin.

"No." he said coldly, his voice as sharp as a knife. "She is not worthy of an heir of Durin, or to be a member of our company. That is final."

**A/N Dun dun duhhh… Sorry it wasn't very well written! -.-**

***hides from various items being thrown at her* Ok, I know I am… weeks overdue…. (Eek) and I am REALLY REALLY SORRY! I have had relatives staying over, and rehearsals for a theatre play every evening, (the play itself went really well may I add) and I am still doing work for my interview... Sorry! :(**

**I'm sorry it's only short; more of a filler than anything else, but the next chapter WILL be longer! And not late, I promise!**

**I had no idea what to write for this chapter. Honestly, I was staring at the blank screen for ages. **

**I will stop babbling now, and hopefully the next chapter won't be so late! ~Littlelots **


	13. Chapter 13 Not Just Coincidence

**Disclaimer: Anything you recognise is owned by the incredible J.R.R Tolkien, the crazy new stuff is mine! ;) Oh, and the speech is by Shakespeare. Yes, I fitted Shakespeare in. :3 *so proud***

"_Go back to the camp." He ordered, knowing they would refuse. Kili and Fili stood side by side, their eyes aflame as they looked at their uncle. Kili glanced at Eve, who had slid down the tree trunk and had her head resting on her knees. Her shoulders were shaking, and Kili knew she was crying. He made to go to her, but found himself blocked by Thorin._

"_No." he said coldly, his voice as sharp as a knife. "She is not worthy of an heir of Durin, or to be a member of our company. That is final."_

Chapter 13. Not Just Coincidence

An unearthly silence hung over the camp that night. Thorin had informed the others of his decision, and forbidden them to go near Eve. Traitor, Elf friend and deceiver were just a few of the names he called her. Balin had tried to reason with him, but Thorin was resolute. Bofur had tried to lighten the mood by playing his flute, but the tune had sounded so dismal and desolate that Ori had burst into tears, causing Dori to scold the toymaker for being inconsiderate.

Tiriel watched the happenings with disapproval, by what she could guess, the girl had done nothing wrong. Her only fault, and apparently that was fault enough, was to fall for the young prince. He wasn't bad, for a dwarf. His lack of beard and height made him much more attractive in her opinion. She looked over at him; he was sitting next to his brother, sharpening his sword, a pained expression marring his handsome features. Fili kept glancing at him, his eyes sad, as though he didn't know how to comfort his younger sibling. Tiriel let out a quiet sigh, how irrational dwarves where. She leant back against the tree, wishing she could see Dûrion. She hadn't seen him for a few days, and she missed his company.

The elf couldn't fathom why she was needed, yes Gandalf had told her to stay with them, but he hadn't given a reason. Apart from being company for the girl, and even that seemed to make things worse, there appeared to be no point in her staying with them. She was supposed to be watching; from a distance, not joining the group! She looked over to where the wizard sat near Thorin, smoking his pipe with his hat pulled low. She didn't have time to waste; Lady Galadriel wanted to know what was happening, and how the progress of their Gwîn Estil was doing. No, she couldn't hang around, she thought. She had been planning to visit some friends in the Greenwood, including her cousin Tauriel who was captain of the guard. With a groan at the unreliability of wizards she stretched, and got to her feet. Thorin's eyes were on her within seconds, and she hid a smile, putting on an innocent face, and walking over to Gandalf, who gave her a small smile.

"Mithrandir, Amman le hi?" She asked, kneeling down next to him. Gandalf sighed softly, his weathered forehead pulled into a frown.

"Mellon nin, Le-" a flash of light caused him to break off, and all eyes turned towards the source of the glow.

* * *

Eve sat on the edge of the glade, a small distance away from the group. Her arms were wrapped around her legs and her head rested upon her knees, in some way of comforting herself. Her gaze was distant, tear-rimmed eyes unblinking. She wished she was home, that she could wake up in bed and this had all been but dream. A Midsummer Night's Dream. _That was appropriate_, Eve thought. She could be Puck, unaffected by love, not entangled in the emotions of the heart. She thought of a speech she had studied in school, her favourite part by the mischievous sprite.

_If we shadows have offended,_

_Think but this, and all is mended,_

_That you have but slumbered here,_

_While these visions did appear._

_And this weak and idle theme, _

_No more yielding but a dream,_

_Gentles, do not reprehend!_

_If you pardon, we will mend!_

_And, as I am an honest Puck,_

_If we have uneanéd luck,_

_Now to 'scape the serpents tongue,_

_We shall make amends ere long._

_Else the Puck a liar call, _

_And so goodnight unto you all!_

_Give me your hands if we be friends,_

_And Robin shall restore amends! _

Oh, how fitting a speech it was! A tear rolled down her cheek as her gaze wandered to the bracelet on her wrist. Why had she opened the box? Why was she so darn inquisitive?! Curiosity killed the cat, she thought humourlessly. How correct that saying was, for, due to that, she had lost everything from her life. Or was it her previous life? Had she died and was this some twisted afterlife, to punish her for some wrong doings? Was this her equivalent of hell? She pulled at her hair in frustration. She wanted to be back on that hillside with Katie- _oh Katie_, she thought. _I'm so sorry, I'm so so sorry!_

Tears rolled down her cheeks and she looked at the bracelet again, a strange anger she couldn't understand rising up in her. Her fingers clawed at it, pulling it as hard as she could, trying to separate it from her skin. Pain shot through her like fire, and the jewel on the bracelet turned red, but she didn't care, she just wanted to go home. Surely removing the bracelet would send her back? She bit her lip to stop herself from crying out at the pain, and blood trickled from her mouth.

Just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore, there was a flash of bright white light, coming from the jewel on top of the bracelet, and it glowed as brightly as the sun, catching the attention of the entire group. Tiriel jumped to her feet, running towards Eve, whose eyes were wide with shock. The elf fell to her knees beside the girl, holding her hand over the jewel, and muttering in Elvish. The words were so fast; Eve could barely make any of them out. Gandalf appeared next to them, a deep frown on his brow. Eve lowered her head in shame, licking the droplets of blood on her lips. After a moment the glow faded, and Tiriel took a step away, sighing with relief.

"You need to be more careful. If you take the bracelet off, which you very nearly did, you **will** die. Surely Gandalf has informed you of this?" She questioned, turning to the wizard in confusion. Gandalf nodded, watching Eve closely.

"Yes I did." He replied, his sharp eyes searching her like an x-ray. He turned back to the elf, who was observing closely. "Goheno nin, Anno el-ped min said?" Tiriel nodded; a slight frown on her face.

"Be iest lín." Gandalf reached down, and grabbed Eve's shoulder, pulling her to her feet and pushing her further into the forest, away from the company who were watching in confusion. Tiriel followed the wizard closely, gliding through the undergrowth with ease. Eve kept her eyes to the ground, not daring to look at Gandalf, who was pushing her along none to gently.

* * *

When they were a reasonable distance from the others, Gandalf stopped, turning to Eve with a strange look in his eyes. She wasn't sure if it was anger, or… something worse. Tiriel watched on from the side, her eyebrows furrowed, waiting for the wizard to begin. Eve lowered her gaze, shame beginning to flow through her. Gandalf gave a huge sigh, before finally speaking.

"Is there something you wish to tell me?" he inquired, watching her carefully. Eve sniffed quietly, before shaking her head.

"No sir." She replied miserably, not looking up to meet his eyes. Gandalf paused, scrutinising her momentarily, before nodding with an almost inaudible moan.

"Very well then, please take a seat Eve." The girl looked up at him in confusion, but did as he asked, and sat down on the grass. Tiriel raised an eyebrow at the wizard, who gestured for her to also take a seat.

"Now, I believe I told you not to remove the bracelet. Am I correct?" Eve nodded, tilting her head slightly, earning a chuckle from the wizard. "You remind me a lot of Bilbo when he was younger; he used to go off searching for elves. He has changed a lot though, but I believe a little bit of that tookishness is still in him, hidden deep down maybe, but we have already seen some of it emerge. Anyway, I am getting off topic. Let me explain why you are here." He sat down on a nearby log, resting his hands on his lap. "It started with the vision."

_Lady Galadriel stood staring out into the night sky, watching the numerous stars glistening in the inky blackness. A soft sigh escaped her lips as one star shot down towards the earth, breaking away from its brethren. As it got closer to the ground, the lady realised it was headed towards where she stood. Instead on rushing away for safety, she remained there, after all, these things only happen for a reason, and she did not believe it was time for her to leave Middle Earth quite yet. The star got nearer and nearer, yet she noticed it seemed to be shrinking in size the closer it got. After a few minutes, the star landed in front of her, no bigger than three feet wide. She knelt down beside it, her fingers gracing over the strangely smooth surface. At her touch, the star broke in two, revealing a bracelet in the centre, with a jewel the colour of the sea. Realising this was definitely no coincidence, and that this was definitely no normal star, she reached out and picked up the bracelet. As she touched the stone, a haze passed before her, and when it cleared, she was no longer looking down at the fallen star. She stood on a battlefield, watching a great multitude of orcs swarming down upon a united army of the peoples of middle earth, elves, dwarves and men. _

_The vision changed, and she saw a dark haired dwarf running towards a pale orc, who smote him with his club. As the orc neared for the death blow, two younger dwarves ran between it and its prey. They attacked the orc, cutting off the claw that replaced one arm, but an orc from close by shot the younger of the two, and he fell, the blond dwarf yelling out in rage before he too was shot. The duo landed next to each other, their fingers grasping each other, and together they died. The pale orc walked toward the other dwarf, laughing at the two fallen warriors, before raising his mace, he killed the dark haired dwarf, a shout of victory emitting his lips._

_The vision changed again, now all she could see was a doe as silver as the moon, looking at her. A voice echoed in her head, whispering_

"_You must not let this happen. The bracelet will find someone who will stop this. Drop it into the water in the mirror. Do not fail me, or a time of great sorrow will come." The doe turned, prancing away as her gaze darkened, and suddenly she was kneeling beside the fallen star, the bracelet in her hands._

Lady Galadriel did as the doe asked, and the bracelet found you. She then asked one of her handmaidens to follow the progress of the wearer, making sure no harm came to her. When she lost you in the mountains, she flew round to where the back door was, in a hope of going in alone to bring you out, and as much of the company as she could, thereby revealing herself. However, this was unnecessary, and she instead caught you when you fell off the tree. And for this, I thank you Tiriel." The elf in question nodded, a small smile on her face at the grateful look Eve flashed her.

"So you see Eve, you are very special and extremely important to us. We cannot afford to let you get hurt, because we have only one chance to save Thorin and his company, and for that, we need you." Eve gulped, terrified at the responsibility resting on her shoulders.

"But, I'm just… Eve! Just Eve! What could I possibly do to save them?" she looked desperately at the wizard, her eyes wide with fear. Gandalf shook his head.

"I know not, except that you must not tell them what I have told you. To know one's fate or a possible outcome is more dangerous than you might believe. As for being just Eve, I find it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love." Eve nodded, not wholly convinced, but knowing she had no other choice.

"I will try Gandalf, so long as Thorin doesn't throw me out." Gandalf chuckled, getting to his feet and offering her a hand.

"Yes, I believe we need to sort a few things out." He replied, pulling her up, and helping Tiriel, before leading the way back to the company.

* * *

The moment Gandalf appeared back at the camp, Thorin was on his feet and striding over to inquire as to what had happened. However, his question was cut off by the wizard, who, looking around at the other members of the company, posed this question: What, in their opinion, had Eve done wrong? They spluttered, and some of them, mainly the younger ones, cried out with indignation that she had done nothing. Gandalf was pleased by this, and turned to Thorin with a smile, though whether out of kindness or victory, Thorin wasn't sure.

"Well, Thorin." Gandalf said smugly, watching the future king of Erebor with interest. "What do you say she has done?" Thorin glared back at him, his gaze flickering quickly to his youngest nephew and back. This did not go unmissed by the wizard, who raised his eyebrows with amusement.

"Since when has forming a _friendship_ been betraying one's company?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with mirth at the dwarf, who did not want to acknowledge his nephew's romantic actions, and yet had no other reason. He growled, turning on his heel and walking over to where Dwalin and Balin where sitting. Gandalf smiled, before glancing over his shoulder and calling Eve. The girl walked back into the camp, her eyes sparkling, and was heading over to the younger dwarves, namely Kili and Fili, when Gandalf's gnarled hand grabbed her shoulder.

"Don't push it." He whispered, receiving a giggle from the girl, who headed over to where her friends sat, happy to be welcomed back (judging by the numerous hugs she received as she neared the fire) with open arms.

Translations (Done as best as I could!)

Gwîn Estil - New hope (Meant as saving hope, but I couldn't find a decent translation)

Mithrandir, Amman le hi - Gandalf, why am I here?

Mellon nin, Le - My friend, I

Goheno nin, Anno el-ped min said - Forgive me, may we speak in private?

Be iest lín - As you wish.

**A/N YES! I'm back baby! COOKIES FOR EVERYONE!**

**I've really missed being able to write this, but now I should be able to post regularly! Thank you to everyone who waited ages and ages and ages for me to write this new chapter, I love you guys! :3**

**Personally, I'm not completely happy with this, but it's the eighth re-write, so I thought I'd better post it! Please let me know what you think! Thanks for reading! :D **

**Who noticed the quotes? :P**


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